Patient-specific surgical instrument and methods for making it

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

• obtaining image data associated with at least a portion of a bone corresponding to the joint of the patient;
• generating computer-readable instructions to form a patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument based at least in part on the image data;
• and
• forming the patient-specific orthopedic surgical instrument based on 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 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 orthopedic surgical instrument are biocompatible.