Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing an implant comprising designing a contour curvature of the implant so that an articulating surface of the implant is designed to correspond to a simulated healthy articulating surface of a damaged articulating surface of a joint. The implant is provided with at least one positioning mark designed to be used for determining the orientation in which the implant is to be placed in a recess made in a damaged articulating surface of a joint. Further, the present invention relates to methods for positioning and inserting a medical implant in a recess.

Abstract: A metatarsal implant for repairing damage in a metatarsophalangeal joint of a patient is provided. The metatarsal implant is adapted to be attached to an implant receiving surface which has been created on a metatarsal head of the patient by sawing off sections of the metatarsal head, and an articulating surface of the metatarsal implant is designed to correspond to the curvature of a simulated healthy articulating surface of the undamaged metatarsal head at a site of diseased cartilage and/or bone. A bone contacting surface of the metatarsal implant is designed to correspond to the implant receiving surface, and the contour curvature of the articulating surface is generated based on a determined surface curvature of the cartilage and/or the bone in a predetermined area at the site of diseased cartilage and/or bone, to mimic the original, undamaged, articulating surface of the metatarsal head.

Abstract: A patellofemoral implant arrangement for repairing damage in a patellofemoral articulation of a patient is provided. The patellofemoral implant arrangement includes a femoral trochlear implant, including an articulating surface, and a patellar implant, configured to be inserted, for example with press-fit, into a recess in a patella in such a way that the perimeter of an articulating surface of the patellar implant does not extend beyond a surrounding articulating surface of the patella. The articulating surfaces of the femoral trochlear implant and the patellar implant are designed to allow that they at least partly interact with each other when the implants are implanted into the knee joint and the patella lies in the intercondylar groove of the femur. The articulating surface of the patellar implant may be designed to correspond to the curvature of a simulated healthy articulating surface of the undamaged patella at the site of diseased cartilage.

Abstract: An implant adapted to be attached to an implant receiving surface in a joint of a patient is provided. The implant includes a bone contacting surface, and at least one implant peg extending from the bone contacting surface, wherein both the bone contacting surface and a part of a surface area of the implant peg includes an osseointegrating structure, such as e.g. a lattice structure or a random lattice structure.

Abstract: A method for designing an implant includes designing a contour curvature of the implant so that an articulate surface of the implant is designed to correspond to a simulated healthy cartilage surface reconstructed from a 3D model based on one or more images taken with MRI or CT-scanning of a damaged cartilage surface of a joint; and providing a positioning mark on a surface of the implant. The positioning mark is provided such that the positioning mark is parted from the center of the implant to be visible for a surgeon and is adapted to be used for indicating a rotational position of the implant to the surgeon.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a system for turning a patient's dysplastic or deformed patellofemoral joint into a healthier patellofemoral joint is provided. The system comprises at least one processor arranged to: analyze the curvature of the patella in a patellofemoral joint; analyze the curvature of the femoral trochlea in said patellofemoral joint; and determine whether any of said analyzed curvatures indicate that the patellofemoral joint is dysplastic or deformed. If any of said analyzed curvatures indicate that the patellofemoral joint is dysplastic or deformed, the at least one processor is arranged to propose an improved curvature of the articulating surface of the patella and/or the femoral trochlea; and determine the shape and dimensions for a patellar implant that would create said improved curvature of the articulating surface of the patella, and/or a trochlear implant that would create said improved curvature of the articulating surface of the femoral trochlea.

Abstract: A system for customizing an implant is provided. The system includes a processor configured to: i) obtain one or more medical image stacks of a joint; ii) obtain a three-dimensional image representation of the joint based on at least one of said medical image stacks; iii) determine damage to the joint by analyzing said medical image stacks; iv) select an implant template from a predefined set of implant templates having predetermined types and sizes; v) generate a 3D model, in which the marked damage is visualized together with the selected implant template in a proposed position; vi) display the 3D model; vii) receive an approval for said selected implant template in said proposed position; and viii) determine the final shape and dimensions of a customized implant based on said selected implant template and said proposed position.

Abstract: A system for customizing an implant is provided. The system includes a processor configured to: i) obtain one or more medical image stacks of a joint; ii) obtain a three-dimensional image representation of the joint based on at least one of said medical image stacks; iii) determine damage to the joint by analyzing said medical image stacks; iv) select an implant template from a predefined set of implant templates having predetermined types and sizes; v) generate a 3D model, in which the marked damage is visualized together with the selected implant template in a proposed position; vi) display the 3D model; vii) receive an approval for said selected implant template in said proposed position; and viii) determine the final shape and dimensions of a customized implant based on said selected implant template and said proposed position.

Abstract: A system for determining and visualizing damage to an anatomical joint of a patient. The system is to: obtain a three dimensional image representation of an anatomical joint which is based on a medical image stack; determine damage to an anatomical structure in the anatomical joint by analyzing the medical image stack; mark damage to the anatomical structures in the obtained three dimensional image representation; obtain a 3D model based on the three dimensional image representation; and create a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI may comprise: functionality to visualize and enable manipulation of the at least one 3D model; functionality to enable removal of the visualization of the anatomical structure from the 3D model; functionality to visualize and enable browsing of the medical image stack; and functionality to visualize the position of the medical image that is currently visualized.

Abstract: A system 100 or designing a surgical kit 700 for articulating surface repair in an anatomical joint of a patient is provided, which comprises at least one processor 120 configured to: determine damage to the anatomical joint; select, from a predefined set of implants having varying dimensions, the implant 300 that is the best fit for repairing the determined damage; select, from a predefined set of insert tools, the insert tool 720 corresponding to the selected implant 300; and design a contact surface 540 of a guide tool 500 to have a shape and contour that is designed to correspond to and to fit the contour of a predetermined area. This enables the use of standardized implants 300 that can be manufactured batch-wise, while still using an individualized guide tool 500 to ensure correct positioning of the implant 300. This helps ensuring that the implant will be positioned in the exact location of the determined damage.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a system 100 for customizing an implant is provided. The system 100 comprises a processor configured to: i) obtain one or more medical image stacks of a joint; ii) obtain a three-dimensional image representation of the joint based on at least one of said medical image stacks; iii) determine damage to the joint by analyzing said medical image stacks; iv) select an implant template from a predefined set of implant templates having predetermined types and sizes; v) generate a 3D model, in which the marked damage is visualized together with the selected implant template in a proposed position; vi) display the 3D model; vii) receive an approval for said selected implant template in said proposed position; and viii) determine the final shape and dimensions of a customized implant based on said selected implant template and said proposed position.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a patellofemoral implant arrangement 200 for repairing damage in a patellofemoral articulation of a patient is provided. The patellofemoral implant arrangement 200 comprises a femoral trochlear implant 250, comprising an articulating surface 255, and a patellar implant 300, configured to be inserted, preferably with press-fit, into a recess 620 in a patella 600 in such a way that the perimeter of an articulating surface 310 of the patellar implant 300 does not extend beyond a surrounding articulating surface of the patella 600. The articulating surfaces 255, 310 of the femoral trochlear implant 250 and the patellar implant 300 are designed to allow that they at least partly interact with each other when the implants 250, 300 are implanted into the knee joint and the patella 600 lies in the intercondylar groove of the femur.

Abstract: A medical implant for cartilage and/or bone repair at an articulating surface of a joint is provided. The implant includes a contoured implant body and at least one extending post. The implant body has an articulating surface configured to face the articulating part of the joint and a bone contact surface configured to face the bone structure of a joint, where the articulating and bone contact surfaces face mutually opposite directions and the bone contact surface is provided with the extending post. A cartilage contact surface connects the articulating and the bone contact surfaces and is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body in a joint. The articulating surface has a layer that is formed of titanium nitride (TiN) as the wear-resistant material. The cartilage contact surface has a coating that is formed of a material having chondrointegration properties.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical implant for cartilage and/or bone repair at an articulating surface of a joint. The implant comprises a contoured implant body and at least one extending post. The implant body has an articulating surface configured to face the articulating part of the joint and a bone contact surface configured to face the bone structure of a joint, where the said articulating and bone contact surfaces face mutually opposite directions and said bone contact surface is provided with the extending post. A cartilage contact surface connects the articulating and the bone contact surfaces and is configured to contact the cartilage surrounding the implant body in a joint. The articulating surface has a layer that consists of titanium nitride (TiN) as the wear-resistant material. The cartilage contact surface has a coating that substantially consists of a material having chondrointegration properties.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments herein, a system for creating a decision support material indicating damage to at least a part of an anatomical joint of a patient, wherein the created decision support material comprises one or more damage images, is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing an implant comprising designing a contour curvature of the implant so that an articulating surface of the implant is designed to correspond to a simulated healthy articulating surface of a damaged articulating surface of a joint. The implant is provided with at least one positioning mark designed to be used for determining the orientation in which the implant is to be placed in a recess made in a damaged articulating surface of a joint. Further, the present invention relates to methods for positioning and inserting a medical implant in a recess.

Abstract: A system for creating decision support material indicating damage to an anatomical joint of a patient. The system is configured to: i) receive a series of radiology images of at least a part of the anatomical joint; ii) obtain a three-dimensional image representation of the at least part of the anatomical joint; iii) identify tissue parts of the anatomical joint using image analysis; iv) determine damage to the anatomical joint by analyzing said image representation; v) mark damage to the anatomical joint in the obtained three-dimensional image representation; and vi) generate decision support material. The analysis comprises: detecting an irregular shape of a contour of a tissue part; and/or detecting that the intensity in an area within or adjacent to bone and/or cartilage parts differs from a predetermined value; and/or comparing at least one identified tissue part with a template representing a predefined damage pattern for an anatomical joint.

Abstract: A method of designing a guide tool for cartilage repair in an articulating surface of a joint, comprising the steps of: I. determining physical parameters for cartilage damage in a joint and generating design parameters for cartilage repair objects and their relative placement in a predetermined pattern. comprising: II. selecting repair objects to fit the individual cartilage damage site wherein the repair objects have: cross sectional areas adapted to fit the surface area of the cartilage damage site, lengths adapted to fit the selected joint and/or type of cartilage damage, and surfaces intended to align with the articular cartilage surface in the joint, based on the healthy surface contour curvature, III. determining, based on obtained image data, positions and angles of the selected cartilage repair objects, wherein the positions and angles are adapted so that the selected repair objects fit the individual cartilage damage site, IV.