Surgical instrument and method of positioning an acetabular prosthetic component

1. An orthopaedic surgical instrument for positioning an acetabular prosthetic component in a patient's surgically-prepared acetabulum, the instrument comprising:

a shaft having a first end configured to be coupled to the acetabular prosthetic component,

a handle attached to the shaft at a second end opposite the first end, and

a bubble indicator attached to the shaft between the first end and the second end, the bubble indicator having a face that is circular and has a center point and a plurality of markings defined on the face, the plurality of markings including:

(i) a first marking indicating a first abduction angle, the first marking being located at the center point of the face,

(ii) a second marking indicating a second abduction angle and a first anteversion angle of the acetabular prosthetic component, the second marking being offset from the center point of the face, and

(iii) a third marking indicating a third abduction angle and a second anteversion angle of the acetabular prosthetic component, the third marking being offset from the center point of the face opposite the second marking,

wherein the first marking and the second marking are customized patient-specific markings.

2. An orthopaedic surgical instrument system for positioning an acetabular prosthetic component in a patient's surgically-prepared acetabulum, the instrument system comprising:

an acetabular prosthetic component sized to be positioned in a patient's surgically-prepared acetabulum, the acetabular prosthetic component including a convex surface, and

a surgical instrument comprising:

a shaft having a first end configured to be coupled to the acetabular prosthetic component,

a handle attached to the shaft at a second end opposite the first end, and

a bubble indicator attached to the shaft between the first end and the second end, the bubble indicator having a face that is circular and has a center point and a plurality of markings defined on the face, the plurality of markings including:

(i) a first marking indicating a first abduction angle, the first marking being located at the center point of the face,

(ii) a second marking indicating a second abduction angle and a first anteversion angle of the acetabular prosthetic component, the second marking being offset from the center point of the face, and

(iii) a third marking indicating a third abduction angle and a second anteversion angle of the acetabular prosthetic component, the third marking being offset from the center point of the face opposite the second marking.

3. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 2 , wherein the second abduction angle is less than the first abduction angle.

4. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 3 , wherein the first abduction angle is approximately 45 degrees.

5. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 4 , wherein the second abduction angle is approximately 40 degrees.

6. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 5 , wherein the first anteversion angle is equal to approximately 15 degrees of rotation about a transverse axis extending through the patient.

7. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 2 , wherein the bubble indicator is detachable from the shaft.

8. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 7 , wherein the bubble indicator includes a cantilevered spring arm which moves relative to the bubble indicator during any of attachment and detachment of the bubble indicator to the shaft.

9. The orthopaedic surgical instrument system of claim 2 , wherein the first marking includes a graphical indicator and a numerical indicator of the first abduction angle.