Methods of predetermining the contour of a resected bone surface and assessing the fit of a prosthesis on the bone

1. A method of virtually assessing the fit of a prosthesis for placement on a resected bone surface, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining a three-dimensional contour of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface based on the three-dimensional contour of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of a first prosthesis; and

comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if said comparing step results in an acceptable match of the outlines, the step of selecting the first prosthesis for physical placement on the resected bone surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, if said comparing step results in an unacceptable match of the outlines, the steps of creating a two-dimensional outline of a second prosthesis and comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the second prosthesis.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, if said second comparing step results in an acceptable match of the outline of the resected bone surface and the outline of the second prosthesis, the step of selecting the second prosthesis for physical placement on the resected bone surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface comprises the steps of:

identifying a vertex of the three-dimensional contour of the resected bone surface between a first planar surface of the resected bone surface and a second planar surface of the resected bone surface;

manipulating the first planar surface to be coplanar with the second planar surface; and

outlining a perimeter of the first planar surface and the second planar surface to define the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis comprises the steps of:

obtaining a three-dimensional contour of the first prosthesis;

identifying a vertex between a first planar surface of the first prosthesis and a second planar surface of the first prosthesis;

manipulating the first planar surface to be coplanar with the second planar surface; and

outlining a perimeter of the first planar surface and the second planar surface to define the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said comparing step comprises superimposing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface on the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional contour of the resected bone surface includes a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the first and second planar surfaces lying in different planes.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface includes manipulating the first planar surface to be coplanar with the second planar surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface includes a two-dimensional outline of the first planar surface coplanar with the second planar surface.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first prosthesis includes at least one surface configured to be positioned adjacent to the resected bone surface, and wherein the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis corresponds to the at least one surface of the first prosthesis.

12. A method of virtually assessing the fit of a prosthesis for placement on a resected bone surface, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of a first prosthesis; and

comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis, wherein the resected bone surface includes a first planar surface, a second planar surface, and at least one vertex shared by the first and second planar surfaces, wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface includes the step of outlining a perimeter of the first and second planar surfaces.

13. A method of virtually assessing the fit of a prosthesis for placement on a resected bone surface, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of a first prosthesis; and

comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis, wherein the resected bone surface is defined by a plurality of intersecting cut planes, wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface includes the step of outlining the plurality of intersecting cut planes to obtain a three-dimensional profile of the resected bone surface, the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface being based on the three-dimensional profile of the resected bone surface.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface includes the step of manipulating the three-dimensional profile of the resected bone surface to form the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface.

15. A method of virtually assessing the fit of a prosthesis for placement on a resected bone surface, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of a first prosthesis; and

comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis, further including the step of obtaining a three-dimensional contour of a surface of the first prosthesis, the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis being based on the three-dimensional contour of the surface of the first prosthesis.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional contour of the first prosthesis includes a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the first and second planar surfaces lying in different planes.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis includes manipulating the first planar surface to be coplanar with the second planar surface.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis includes a two-dimensional outline of the first planar surface coplanar with the second planar surface.

19. A method of virtually assessing the fit of a prosthesis for placement on a resected bone surface, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface;

creating a two-dimensional outline of a first prosthesis; and

comparing the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface with the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis, wherein said comparing step comprises the steps of measuring the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface and the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis and determining a deviation between the two-dimensional outline of the resected bone surface and the two-dimensional outline of the first prosthesis based on the measuring step.