Patient-specific tools and implants

1. method of preparing a femoral neck for receiving a femoral neck implant comprising:

obtaining image data of a proximal femoral bone and the femoral neck of a specific patient using a medical imaging modality;

constructing a three-dimensional image model of the proximal femoral bone and neck of the specific patient using the image data;

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical bone and cancellous bone of the femoral neck of the specific patient using the three-dimensional image model;

resecting a femoral head from the femoral neck of a patient according to a pre-operative patient-specific plan;

removing only cancellous bone from the femoral neck and proximal femoral bone of the patient using a patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the femoral neck;

selecting a patient-specific neck implant having a patient-specific length determined from the three-dimensional image model of the specific patient; and

implanting the patient-specific neck implant having a three-dimensional outer surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the femoral neck of the patient after the cancellous bone is removed.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

coupling a driver tool to the patient-specific broach; and

inserting the broach into the femoral neck of the patient.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

inserting a protrusion extending from a proximal surface of the broach into a bore of a distal surface of the driver tool; and

inserting a distal portion of a retractable rod of the driver tool into a bore defined through the proximal surface of the broach to secure the broach to the driver tool.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising engaging a proximal flange of the neck implant with a resected surface of the femoral neck.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising coupling a femoral head implant to a neck portion of the neck implant.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling a femoral head implant to a neck portion of the neck implant.

7. A method of preparing a femoral neck for receiving a femoral neck implant comprising:

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical bone and cancellous bone of the femoral neck of the specific patient using a three-dimensional model derived from image data gathered about a specific patient;

coupling a driver tool to a patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at the femoral neck;

using the driver to insert the broach into a resected portion of the femoral neck of the patient;

removing only cancellous bone from the femoral neck and proximal femoral bone of the patient using the patient-specific broach; and

exposing the three-dimensional cortical boundary surface by removing only the cancellous bone using the patient-specific broach

selecting a patient-specific neck implant having a patient-specific length determined from the three-dimensional model of the specific patient, the patient-specific length configured such that the neck implant does not extend beyond the femora neck into an intramedullary canal; and

implanting the patient-specific neck implant having a three-dimensional outer surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the femoral neck of the patient after the cancellous bone is removed.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

directing bone chips away from a cavity created by the broach.

9. A method of preparing a femoral neck for receiving a femoral neck implant comprising:

identifying a three-dimensional cortical boundary surface at an interface between cortical bone and cancellous bone of the femoral neck of the specific patient using a three-dimensional model derived from image data gathered about a specific patient;

resecting a femoral head from the femoral neck of the specific patient to expose a corresponding resected surface of the femoral neck;

inserting a patient-specific broach into the femoral neck of the patient through the exposed corresponding resected surface of the femoral neck, the patient-specific broach having a three-dimensional cutting surface matching as a negative mold the three-dimensional cortical boundary surface of the specific patient;

removing only cancellous bone from the femoral neck of the patient using the patient-specific broach at least by inserting the patient-specific broach;

exposing the three-dimensional cortical boundary surface by removing only the cancellous bone using the patient-specific broach;

selecting a patient-specific neck implant having a patient-specific length determined from the three-dimensional model of the specific patient, the patient-specific length configured such that the neck implant does not extend beyond the femoral neck into an intramedullary canal; and

implanting the patient-specific neck implant having a three-dimensional outer surface matching as a negative mold the cortical boundary surface of the femoral neck of the patient after the cancellous bone is removed.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

directing bone chips away from a cavity created by the broach.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

coupling a driver tool to the patient-specific broach.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising securing the driver tool to the broach.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising inserting a protrusion extending from a proximal surface of the broach into a bore of a distal surface of the driver tool.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising inserting a distal portion of a retractable rod of the driver tool into a bore defined through the proximal surface of the broach.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising engaging a proximal flange of the neck implant to the resected surface of the femoral neck.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising coupling a femoral head implant to a neck portion of the neck implant.