Abstract: This invention relates to a positioning template used to determine correct cutting planes and angles and drilling positions during surgical procedures, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a femoral cutting template (10) used in the preparation of a femoral condyle during a unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA). The femoral cutting template (10) comprises attachment means (12) for releasably attaching the template to a tibiofemoral spacer shim (50), provided between a proximal tibia and a femoral condyle. The template further comprises a main body (14) defining first and second guide apertures (16,18) for guiding first and second tools respectively. The first and second tools are used for creating first and second receiving formations (206,208), in the femoral condyle, which are created for receiving first and second parts of a femoral component forming part of an unicondylar knee prosthesis.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and system for diagnosing the extent of degeneration of a knee joint, and determining a suitable prosthesis for use in knee arthroplasty as indicated by the extent of joint degeneration. According to the disclosure there is provided a method of determining a corrective surgical procedure for the treatment of degeneration of a joint, including the steps of comparing a set of radiological images, and in particular a set of x-ray images of the joint, to a set of degenerative joint conditions to determine a diagnosis; and correlating the diagnosis with a grading system which prescribes a corrective surgical procedure. The prescribed procedure may be a total knee arthroplasty, a partial knee arthroplasty, a patellofemoral arthroplasty or an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tibial component (10), suitable for use in an orthopedic prosthesis, which prosthesis includes a femoral component and a spacer bearing (70), the tibial component comprising a planar tibial plate (15) having an upper bearing surface (30) and a lower attachment surface (20), and the tibial plate further having at least one spacer bearing attachment means for removably securing the spacer bearing to the tibial plate.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an orthopedic prosthesis (10) suitable for resurfacing chondral deficient surface areas in knee joints, including a tibial component (30) defining a tibial articular bearing surface (50), a femoral component (20) defining a femoral articular bearing surface (130) and a spacer bearing (40) disposed therebetween, the femoral component further including an elliptical body having an anterior member (110) and a posterior member (120), and an internal femoral attachment surface (140), the femoral articular bearing surface and the internal femoral attachment surface having a substantially uniform cross-sectional curvature at any point along the length of the anterior member, thereby providing an increased radius of the internal femoral attachment surface and an increased cross sectional line of fixation to bony tissue.