Abstract: Suprapatellar systems, system components, and methods of operating on a tibial fracture of a patient are disclosed. A method can include making an incision proximal to a patella of a knee joint, forming an operation space, and inserting a portion of a retractor in the operation space to define an entry canal. The retractor can be inserted in a low profile configuration and, once positioned as desired by a surgeon, expanded to a high profile configuration. Expansion of the retractor can expand the operation space in at least one of an anterior-posterior direction or a medial-lateral direction and can increase a diameter of the entry canal. The method can further include inserting a trocar, having at least one guide hole, in the entry canal and guiding a guide pin through the at least one guide hole and into a tibia.

Abstract: A method for attaching a porous metal layer to a dense metal substrate, wherein the method is particularly useful in forming orthopedic implants such as femoral knee components, femoral hip components, and/or acetabular cups. The method, in one embodiment thereof, comprises providing a solid metal substrate; providing a porous metal structure; contouring a surface of the porous metal structure; placing the porous structure against the substrate such that the contoured surface of the porous metal structure is disposed against the substrate, thereby forming an assembly; applying heat and pressure to the assembly in conjunction with thermal expansion of the substrate in order to metallurgically bond the porous structure and the substrate; and removing mass from the substrate after the porous structure is bonded to the substrate, thereby finish processing the assembly.

Abstract: A system for creating a patient-specific instrument model for chondral graft plugging comprises a bone model generator for producing a bone/cartilage model of an articular region of a bone from images thereof. A defect geometry identifier identifies a graft geometry from a defect region of said bone/cartilage model. A donor locator locates an autograft at a donor site or identifies an allograft from a database, using said bone/cartilage model and the graft geometry. A patient-specific instrument model generator creates a model of a graft-plugging patient-specific instrument from said bone/cartilage model, and the graft geometry, the graft-plugging patient-specific instrument model comprising a bone/cartilage interface surface shaped as a function of the bone/cartilage model for the at least one graft-plugging patient-specific instrument to be selectively positioned on the bone/cartilage to pose the autograft or the allograft at the defect region.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for manufacturing an orthopedic prosthesis by resistance welding a porous metal layer of the orthopedic prosthesis onto an underlying metal substrate of the orthopedic prosthesis. The resistance welding process involves directing an electrical current through the porous layer and the substrate, which dissipates as heat to cause softening and/or melting of the materials, especially along the interface between the porous layer and the substrate. The softened and/or melted materials undergo metallurgical bonding at points of contact between the porous layer and the substrate to fixedly secure the porous layer onto the substrate.

Abstract: A shroud for protecting exterior portions of a prosthetic implant from adhesive and a method for utilizing the same. The shroud includes a hub, a rim, and at least one bridge connecting the hub and the rim. The rim of the shroud may be sized to cover substantially the same area as a guard of the implant. The method of utilizing the shroud involves securing the shroud to the prosthetic implant. A quantity of adhesive is provided, and the prosthetic implant is secured thereto. The shroud is removed from the implant, and then the guard is secured to the implant.