Methods of ordering and manufacturing orthopedic components

Abstract

Methods of ordering and manufacturing orthopedic components eliminate the need to stockpile and inventory large volumes of implants and instruments. In one exemplary embodiment, the surgeon begins by acquiring anatomical data from a patient. The anatomical data may then be loaded into a data comparison program. The data comparison program performs a best-fit analysis by comparing the patient's anatomical data to a number of predesigned, tested, and validated virtual implant models that are stored in a database. Once an implant has been identified by the data comparison program for the individual patient, the surgeon may place an order electronically with the manufacturer via the internet. In one exemplary embodiment, when placing the order, the surgeon will specify the type of implant, the surgery date, specific patient information, shipping information, and the preferred surgical technique that the surgeon anticipates using.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of ordering and manufacturing an implant and related instruments, comprising the steps of:
 receiving anatomical data collected from a patient;   comparing the anatomical data to a database of implant designs;   identifying an implant design from the implant designs in the database based on a result of said step of comparing the anatomical data to a database of implant designs;   manufacturing an implant based on the identified implant design;   manufacturing at least one instrument for use in implanting the implant;   packaging the implant and the instrument in at least one container;   contemporaneously shipping the implant and the instrument in the at least one container to a customer, and   receiving the at least one container after the at least one instrument has been used.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument involved in said steps of packaging the implant and instrument and contemporaneously shipping the implant and instrument is an unused instrument. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of packaging the implant and the at least one instrument comprises packaging both the implant and the least one instrument in a single container. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one instrument is formed from a recyclable material, the method further comprising, after said step of receiving the at least one container, the additional step of:
 recycling at least one of the container and the at least one instrument.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said step of recycling at least one of the container and the at least one instrument follows said step of receiving the container. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving the container comprises an implant manufacturer receiving the container. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of sterilizing the container. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said step of sterilizing the container precedes said step of shipping the container to a customer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said step of sterilizing the container follows said step of shipping the container to a customer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of disposing of at least part of the container and at least one of the at least one instrument. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of manufacturing an implant follows said step of receiving anatomical data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of manufacturing an implant comprises manufacturing a custom implant based on the received anatomical data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of manufacturing a custom implant comprises:
 providing a maximum-material implant having material thicknesses greater than a plurality of finished implants;   receiving an identity of a chosen finished implant, the chosen finished implant selected from among the plurality of finished implants; and   removing material from the maximum-material implant to match the chosen finished implant.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant designs of the database comprise a plurality of validated implant designs, said step of manufacturing an implant comprising the step of manufacturing an implant based on one of the validated implant designs. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying an implant design comprises the step of templating. 
     
     
         16 . A surgical implant management system, comprising:
 data collection means for collecting anatomical data from a patient;   an implant database including a plurality of implant designs;   data comparison means for comparing said anatomical data to said plurality of implant designs;   identifying means for cooperating with said data comparison means to identify at least one matching implant, said matching implant closely matching said anatomical data;   ordering means for communicating identifying information about said matching implant to an implant manufacturer;   at least one implant instrument for use in implanting said matching implant;   packaging means for contemporaneous delivery of said matching implant and said implant instrument from the implant manufacturer to a customer; and   instrument return means for returning said implant instrument to said implant manufacturer after use.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising display means for displaying results of said comparison of said anatomical data to said plurality of implant designs. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said ordering means comprises a network. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said network comprises communication means for communicating between modules in a cloud computing infrastructure. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said data comparison means comprises one of a templating system and a data comparison program.