Method and apparatus for aligning and securing an implant relative to a patient

1. A surgical instrument for implanting a primary prosthetic member in an anatomical feature based on information gained using a trial prosthetic member, the trial prosthetic member substantially corresponding in size and structure to the primary prosthetic member, the surgical instrument comprising:

an orientation sensor that detects a trial orientation of the trial prosthetic member, the orientation sensor also operable to detect an actual orientation of the primary prosthetic member;

a memory module;

an input device that receives a user input to transfer the trial orientation of the trial prosthetic member detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage when the trial orientation corresponds to a target orientation necessary for moving and implanting the primary prosthetic member into engagement with the anatomical feature;

an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal to a user; and

a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the actual orientation of the primary prosthetic member detected by the orientation sensor is substantially equal to the trial orientation stored in the memory module.

2. A surgical instrument for implanting a primary prosthetic member in an anatomical feature based on information gained using a trial prosthetic member, the trial prosthetic member substantially corresponding in size and structure to the primary prosthetic member, the surgical instrument comprising:

an orientation sensor that detects an initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member when the trial prosthetic member is oriented as desired relative to the anatomical feature, the orientation sensor also operable to detect an implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member;

a memory module;

an input device that receives a user input to transfer the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage;

an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal to a user;

a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member detected by the orientation sensor is substantially equal to the initial orientation stored in the memory module; and

a housing that houses the orientation sensor, the housing being removably coupled relative to one of the trial prosthetic member and the primary prosthetic member to position a housing axis of the housing at a known orientation relative to a prosthesis axis of the one of the trial prosthetic member and the primary prosthetic member.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the housing is alternatively and removably coupled relative to both the trial prosthetic member and the primary prosthetic member.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , further comprising an impactor tool that removably couples to the primary prosthetic member, wherein the housing removably couples directly to the impactor tool, and further comprising a coupling member that removably couples the housing to the trial prosthetic member.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , further comprising an impactor tool that transfers a load along a load axis to the primary prosthetic member to implant the primary prosthetic member, wherein the impactor tool is removably coupled relative to the primary prosthetic member to position the load axis at a known orientation relative to the prosthesis axis, and wherein the housing is removably coupled to the impactor tool to position the housing axis at a known orientation relative to both the load axis and the prosthesis axis.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a first portion and a second portion that are hingeably attached so as to have a clam shell construction, and wherein an aperture is defined between the first and second portions, the aperture operable to receive the impactor tool to removably couple to the impactor tool.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a visual indicator that indicates a location of the housing axis.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , further comprising a keying feature that allows the housing to be coupled to the impactor tool only at the known orientation relative to both the load axis and the prosthesis axis.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the input device is a button that is moveably mounted to the housing.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensor includes an accelerometer that detects the trial orientation and the actual orientation of the prosthetic member relative to a direction of gravity.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the orientation feedback device includes at least one of a visual feedback device that emits a visual feedback signal, an audible feedback device that emits an audible feedback signal, and a tactile feedback device that emits a tactile feedback signal.

12. A method of implanting a primary prosthetic member in an anatomical feature based on information gained from a trial prosthetic member that substantially corresponds in size and structure to the primary prosthetic member, the method comprising:

detecting a trial orientation of the trial prosthetic member;

saving the trial orientation into a memory module when the trial orientation corresponds to a target orientation necessary for moving and implanting the primary prosthetic member into engagement with the anatomical feature as a result of receiving a user input;

detecting an actual orientation of the primary prosthetic member; and

providing an orientation feedback signal when the actual orientation of the primary prosthetic member is substantially equal to the trial orientation saved in the memory module.

13. A method of implanting a primary prosthetic member in an anatomical feature based on information gained from a trial prosthetic member that substantially corresponds in size and structure to the primary prosthetic member, the method comprising:

detecting an initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member when the trial prosthetic member is oriented as desired relative to the anatomical feature;

saving the initial orientation into a memory module as a result of receiving a user input;

detecting an implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member; and

providing an orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member is substantially equal to the initial orientation;

wherein detecting the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member comprises removably coupling a prosthesis implanting apparatus with an orientation sensor to the trial prosthetic member and detecting the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member with the orientation sensor, and wherein detecting the implanting orientation comprises removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the primary prosthetic member and detecting the implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic member with the orientation sensor.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein detecting the implanting orientation further comprises removably coupling an impactor tool to the primary prosthetic member and removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising impacting the impactor tool to transfer an impact force via the impactor tool to the primary prosthetic member and to drive the primary prosthetic member toward a target location within a patient.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool comprises keying the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool at a known orientation relative thereto.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving the user input due to manipulation of an input device by a user.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting the trial orientation and the actual orientation of the prosthetic member relative to a direction of gravity.

19. A prosthesis implantation system comprising:

a trial prosthetic acetabular cup defining a trial axis;

a primary prosthetic acetabular cup defining a primary axis, the primary prosthetic acetabular cup substantially corresponding in size and structure to the trial prosthetic acetabular cup;

an impactor tool that removably couples to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup and transfers a load along a load axis to implant the primary prosthetic acetabular cup; and

a prosthesis implanting apparatus that includes:

a housing operable to be removably coupled to the trial prosthetic acetabular cup, the housing operable to be alternatively and removably coupled to the impactor tool;

an orientation sensor that detects an initial orientation of the trial axis when the housing is removably coupled to the trial prosthetic acetabular cup and an implanting orientation of the primary axis when the housing is removably coupled to the impactor tool;

a memory module;

an input device that receives a user input to transfer the initial orientation of the trial axis detected by the orientation sensor into the memory module for storage;

an orientation feedback device that selectively provides an orientation feedback signal; and

a controller that causes the orientation feedback device to provide the orientation feedback signal when the housing is coupled to the impactor tool and when the implanting orientation of the primary axis is substantially equal to the initial orientation of the trial axis stored in the memory module.

20. A method of implanting a primary prosthetic acetabular cup in an acetabulum based on information gained from a trial prosthetic acetabular cup that substantially corresponds in size and structure to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup, the method comprising:

removably coupling a prosthesis implanting apparatus with an orientation sensor to the trial prosthetic acetabular cup;

detecting an initial orientation of the trial prosthetic acetabular cup with the orientation sensor when the trial prosthetic member is oriented as desired relative to the acetabulum;

saving the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member into a memory module as a result of receiving a user input;

removing the prosthesis implanting apparatus from the trial prosthetic acetabular cup;

removably coupling an impactor tool to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup;

removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool;

detecting an implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic acetabular cup with the orientation sensor when the prosthesis implanting apparatus is removably coupled to the impactor tool and the impactor tool is removably coupled to the primary prosthetic acetabular cup;

providing an orientation feedback signal when the implanting orientation of the primary prosthetic acetabular cup is substantially equal to the initial orientation of the trial prosthetic member; and

implanting the primary prosthetic acetabular cup at the initial orientation.

21. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising an impactor tool that removably couples to the primary prosthetic member, further comprising an impact sensor that detects an actual acoustic effect of impacting the impactor tool, and further comprising an impact feedback device that selectively provides an impact feedback signal, and wherein the controller causes the impact feedback device to provide the impact feedback signal when the actual acoustic effect of impacting the impactor tool detected by the impact sensor substantially matches a predetermined target acoustic effect of impacting the impactor tool.

22. The method of claim 12 , further comprising removably coupling an impactor tool to the primary prosthetic member, removably coupling the prosthesis implanting apparatus to the impactor tool, automatically detecting an actual acoustic impact effect of impacting the impactor tool, and automatically providing an impact feedback signal when the actual acoustic impact effect substantially matches a predetermined target acoustic impact effect.