Importance

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Abstract

An orthopaedic implant comprising a cast metal base member having an outer surface and an ingrowth surface comprising a plurality of attachment spacer elements of unequal lengths integrally cast with said base member and a metal attachment element integrally cast with said spacer elements, said attachment element having connecting elements extending between said spacer elements to allow attachment of the bone to occur between an underside of said connecting elements and the outer surface of said base member. The invention also consists of a method for preparing such an implant, wherein the spacer elements are of equal or unequal length, which comprises inserting a preformed ceramic pattern for the ingrowth surface into a die for the implant, injecting a meltable material in its molten state into the die at a temperature below the melting temperature of the ceramic to fill the holes and grooves of the pattern. The insert, partially encapsulated with the meltable material, is coated with additional ceramic material and the meltable material removed after melting to form a ceramic mold for the implant containing the ingrowth surface pattern. An alternative method for preparing a ceramic mold for the above-indicated orthopedic implant is to form the mold containing the ceramic insert by incrementally laying down the layers thereof under computer control.

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First Claim