Femoral head resurfacing implant

1. A femoral head resurfacing implant comprising:

an external articulating surface and an internal fixation surface;

a stem projecting from the centre of the internal fixation surface;

wherein the internal fixation surface comprises a top surface, surrounding and substantially orthogonal to a long axis of the stem, a chamfer surface extending downwardly and outwardly from the top surface and a side surface extending substantially parallel to the long axis of the stem; and

wherein at least one projection is arranged on the internal fixation surface to provide a predetermined gap between at least one of the top surface or the chamfer surface and a resected head onto which the implant is to be fitted; and

wherein the side surface constitutes or comprises a cement containment feature configured to restrict or eliminate outflow of cement from the predetermined gap; and

wherein the side surface is configured to provide a side gap with the resected femoral head which is smaller than the predetermined gap between the at least one of the top surface or the chamfer surface and the resected head; and

wherein the at least one projection is provided on the top surface or the chamfer surface and comprises a planar top parallel to the top surface or the chamfer surface on which the at least one projection is provided; and

wherein at least one void is provided adjacent the at least one projection and adjacent the top surface or the chamfer surface on which the at least one projection is provided such that, in use, cement fills the at least one void to provide fixation between the top surface and the resected head and the chamfer surface and the resected head.

2. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the side surface is at or near zero degrees with respect to the long axis of the stem.

3. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the side surface is angled inwardly by approximately 0.1 degrees with respect to the long axis of the stem.

4. The implant according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of projections is provided.

5. The implant according to claim 4 wherein the projections are equally spaced around the internal fixation surface.

6. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the at least one projection comprises a rib, nodule, stud, ridge, ring or other protuberance.

7. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the at least one projection serves as an anti-rotation member in the cement.

8. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined gap is approximately 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5 mm or 2 mm.

9. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the side gap provided by the side surface is less than 0.1 mm, less than 0.3 mm, or less than 0.6 mm.

10. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the at least one projection is provided on the chamfer surface.

11. The implant according to claim 1 wherein a concavely curved surface is located between the top surface and the chamfer surface.

12. The implant according to claim 1 wherein a concavely curved surface is located between the top surface and the stem.

13. The implant according to claim 1 wherein the external articulating surface is part-spherical and is configured to be received within a corresponding acetabular cup.

14. The implant according to claim 1 formed from metal, ceramic, ceramicised metal or polymer.

15. The implant according to claim 1 wherein a concavely curved surface is located between the chamfer surface and the side surface.

16. The implant according to claim 15 wherein below the concavely curved surface the side surface is projection-free.

17. A hip joint prosthesis comprising a femoral head resurfacing implant according to claim 1 and an acetabular cup configured to receive the articulating surface of said femoral head resurfacing implant.