System and method for making customized surgical instruments

A system for making a customized orthopedic surgical instrument for use in repairing a joint of a patient, the system comprising:

• a computer system for generating computer-readable instructions to form a patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument based at least in part on image data obtained from at least a portion of a bone corresponding to the joint of the patient;
• and
• a machine for forming a patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument from the computer-readable instructions, the patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument comprising a resin composition comprising:
• from about 50 wt % to about 90 wt % of a base thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of polyetherimide, polycarbonate, modified polyphenylene ether, polyamide, copolymers of these thermoplastics, and combinations thereof;
• and
• from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % of a filler material,
• wherein the patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument includes at least one surface portion having a shape that substantially conforms to a corresponding surface portion of the bone, and wherein all materials in the patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument are biocompatible.