Methods and Templates For Shaping Patient-Specific Anatomical-Fixation Implants

摘要

In one embodiment, an anatomical implant template has a template body having opposed first and second terminal ends. The template body bends so as to change the body from a first configuration, whereby the body extends from the first terminal end to the second terminal end along a first path, to a second configuration, whereby the body extends from the first terminal end to the second terminal end along a second path, different from the first path, the second path conforming more closely to the curvature of the at least one anatomical body. The body supports at least one device that outputs at least one signal from which a shape of the body in the second configuration can be ascertained. The anatomical implant template can further communicate the at least one signal to a computing device that generates signals for bending an anatomical implant.

主权项

1. An anatomical implant template, comprising:
a template body having a first terminal end surface and a second terminal end surface spaced from the first terminal end surface, the template body configured to bend at one or more bending locations between the first terminal end surface and the second terminal end surface so as to change the template body from a first configuration, whereby the template body extends from the first terminal end surface to the second terminal end surface along a first path, to a second configuration, whereby the template body extends from the first terminal end surface to the second terminal end surface along a second path, different from the first path, the second path conforming more closely to a curvature of at least one anatomical body than the first path; and at least one device coupled to the template body between the first terminal end surface and the second terminal end surface, the at least device configured to output at least one signal having information from which a shape of the anatomical implant template in the second configuration can be ascertained, wherein the anatomical implant template is configured to communicate the at least one signal to a computing device.