Modular bone implant, tools, and method

1. An instrument for gripping a tibial keel component of a modular keel and tray assembly, the keel component having a first end and a second end, the keel component being configured for insertion of the second end into a tibial bone, the instrument comprising:

a handle;

a clamp for connecting the instrument to the keel, the clamp being connected to the handle and having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the clamp having a first position in which the clamp applies a clamping force to the keel component to lock the keel component to the instrument and the handle extends outwardly from the keel component to provide a grip for manipulating the keel component, the clamp having a second position in which the keel component is moveable relative to the clamp; and

a cover, with the clamp in the first position in which the clamp applies a clamping force to the keel component and with the keel component extending from the bottom surface of the clamp, the cover is moveable to selectively position the cover over the first end of the keel component to shield the first end of the keel component from contamination while the second end of the keel component extends from the bottom surface of the clamp and is engageable with a tibial bone, the cover movable while the instrument is connected to the keel component between a first position in which the cover is positioned over the portion of the keel component and a second position in which the cover is positioned away from the portion of the keel component to expose the keel component.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the clamp connects the instrument to the keel component in a reproducible known orientation such that the orientation of the handle indicates the orientation of the keel component even when the keel component is not itself visible.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the clamp further comprises:

a first jaw attached to the handle; and

a second jaw attached to the handle, the jaws being movable relative to one another to clamp the keel component.

4. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the clamp further comprises:

an actuator;

a link connecting the actuator to the jaws, the actuator being movable to cause the jaws to move between a closed position in which they are relatively close together and an open position in which they are relatively further apart, the actuator, link, and jaws having a point of singularity beyond which further movement of the actuator results in the jaws locking onto the keel in the closed position.

5. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the cover is lockable in both the first and second positions.

6. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the clamp connects the handle to the first end of the keel component such that upon insertion of the second end of the keel component into the tibial bone, at least one of the attachment mechanism and handle abut the tibial bone and prevent the first end of the keel component from being fully inserted into the tibial bone.

7. A tibial keel holder and tibial tray holder combination, the tibial keel holder being engageable with a tibial keel component of a modular tibial implant, the tibial keel component having a first end and a second end, and the tibial tray holder being engageable with a tibial tray component of a modular tibial implant, the tibial keel component and tibial tray component forming a male/female junction between them, the combination comprising:

a tibial keel holder including a first handle, a clamp for connecting the tibial keel holder to the tibial keel component in a reproducible known orientation, and a cover, the clamp being connected to the handle and having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, the clamp having a first position in which the clamp applies a clamping force to the tibial keel component to lock the tibial keel component to the tibial keel holder, the clamp having a second position in which the tibial keel component is moveable relative to the clamp, with the clamp in the first position in which the clamp applies a clamping force to the keel and with the second end of the tibial keel component extending from the bottom surface of the clamp, the cover is moveable to selectively position the cover over the first end of the tibial keel component to shield the first end of the tibial keel component from contamination while the second end of the tibial keel component extends from the bottom surface of the clamp and is engageable with a tibial bone;

a tibial tray holder including a second handle and an attachment mechanism for connecting the tibial tray holder to the tibial tray component in a reproducible known orientation, the first and second handles forming a predetermined angle between them to give a visual indication of tray-to-keel rotational alignment; and

an assembly tool for moving the tibial tray component and the tibial keel component into male/female seating arrangement, the assembly tool being engageable with the tibial tray component and the tibial keel component while the tibial tray holder is holding the tibial tray, the assembly tool passing through an opening in tibial tray holder to engage the tibial tray component and the tibial keel component while the tibial tray holder is holding the tibial tray.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the proper tray-to-keel alignment is indicated when the first and second handles are parallel to one another.