Patent ID: 8663328

Claim:
A method for positioning a load-bearing component of an orthopedic implant, comprising: providing a malleable device, the device including a biocompatible sheath and more than one curable materials sealed within the sheath, each of the curable materials having at least one different curing characteristic, the device having a non-rigid form and being transformable to a rigid form after application of a quantity of an initiating energy to the material effective to cure the material; applying a dose of the initiating energy to the curable materials after the curable materials are sealed within the biocompatible sheath; and after said applying, inserting the device with the curable materials sealed within the biocompatible sheath to an in vivo location where the provision of load-bearing functionality is desired, wherein the biocompatible sheath is transparent or translucent to the initiating energy, and wherein the device further comprises a reinforcement member contained within the sheath to provide additional strength after curing.