The use of prosthetic implants to replace natural joints of the body is well known. In a hip joint replacement, a femoral head is replaced by a prosthetic head connected to a prosthetic femoral stem. The implant stem is fitted into a cavity formed in the intermedullary passage of the femur. Generally in the surgical procedure, a rasp-like instrument is driven into the intermedullary passage to prepare the cavity for receiving the implant stem. The rasps are generally contoured to gross geometry of the implant stem to assure an accurate location and precise fit. Revisional implant stems are typically longer than the primary to provide secure foundations within the bone. Consequently, the rasp which forms the receiving cavity for the revision implant stem must also be longer than the rasp used in the primary procedures. Including additional rasps with varied lengths adds to the instrument count and costs to the hospital and manufacturer.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds