Methods of operating a surgical instrument and performing a surgical procedure to balance a patient's knee

1. A method of operating an orthopaedic instrument, comprising:

selecting a tibial plate including a medial pad and a lateral pad configured to engage a proximal end of a patient's tibia,

coupling the selected tibial plate to a superior end of a first instrument component,

selecting a femoral plate including a medial pad and a lateral pad configured to engage a distal end of a patient's femur,

coupling the selected femoral plate to a superior end of a second instrument component such that the selected femoral plate is operable to pivot relative to the second instrument component,

coupling the second instrument component, while the femoral plate is coupled to the second instrument component, to the first instrument component, while the tibial plate coupled to the first instrument component, such that an inferior-superior distance is defined between the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate,

coupling a first distractor arm of a pair of distractor arms of a third instrument component to the first instrument component and a second distractor arm of the pair of distractor arms to the second instrument component, and

moving the first distractor arm or the second distractor arm of the pair of distractor arms relative to the other distractor arm of the pair of distractor arms to move the selected femoral plate relative to the selected tibial plate and change the inferior-superior distance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the tibial plate includes selecting a first tibial plate from a plurality of tibial plates, each of the plurality of tibial plates having a different size.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the femoral plate includes selecting a first femoral plate from a plurality of femoral plates, each of the plurality of femoral plates having a different size.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the selected tibial plate to the superior end of the first instrument component includes:

aligning a slot positioned between the medial pad and the lateral pad of the selected tibial plate with a posterior end of a support arm of the first instrument component,

positioning the posterior end of the support arm in the slot of the selected tibial plate, and

operating a movable flange to engage the posterior end of the support arm to secure the selected tibial plate to the first instrument component.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the selected femoral plate to the superior end of the second instrument component includes:

aligning an elongated pin of the selected femoral plate with a bore defined in the second instrument component, the elongated pin being positioned anterior of the medial pad and the lateral pad of the selected femoral plate, and

advancing the elongated pin into the bore.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein coupling the selected femoral plate to the superior end of the second instrument component further includes:

aligning a key of the selected femoral plate with a keyway defined in the second instrument component, the key being positioned adjacent to the elongated pin,

advancing the key into a posterior opening of the keyway, and

rotating the selected femoral plate to advance the key along a section of the keyway extending in a medial-lateral direction.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

inserting the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate between the proximal end of the patient's tibia and the distal end of the patient's femur, and

using a visual gauge of the third instrument component to determine a ligament tension while moving the first distractor arm of the pair of distractor arms relative to the second distractor arm and moving the selected femoral plate relative to the selected tibial plate.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein inserting the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate between the proximal end of the patient's tibia and the distal end of the patient's femur includes inserting the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate between the proximal end of the patient's tibia and an unresected distal end of the patient's femur.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein inserting the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate between the proximal end of the patient's tibia and the distal end of the patient's femur includes inserting the selected femoral plate and the selected tibial plate between a resected proximal surface of the patient's tibia and a resected distal end of the patient's femur.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

coupling a fourth instrument component to the second instrument component, and

advancing a stylus of the fourth instrument component into engagement with an anterior surface of the patient's femur.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

advancing a fixation pin through a bore defined in the fourth instrument into a distal surface of the patient's femur,

removing the fourth instrument component from the second instrument component, and

positioning a cutting block over the fixation pin into contact with the distal surface of the patient's femur.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

selecting a shim from a plurality of shims, each shim having a different thickness, and

coupling the selected shim to the selected femoral plate.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the second distractor arm of the pair of distractor arms relative to the first distractor arm includes operating a lever of the third instrument component to move the second distractor arm.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein operating the lever of the third instrument component to move the second distractor arm includes rotating the lever to advance a piston coupled to the second distractor arm along a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis extending in an inferior-superior direction.

15. A method of performing a surgical procedure, comprising:

coupling a tibial plate to a superior end of a lower balancer body,

coupling a femoral plate to a superior end of an upper balancer body,

inserting the femoral plate and the tibial plate into a gap defined between a proximal end of a patient's tibia and a distal end of a patient's femur, and

moving the femoral plate away from the tibial plate to apply a load to the proximal end of a patient's tibia and the distal end of the patient's femur,

wherein the femoral plate is configured to tilt, relative to upper balancer body, with the distal end of the patient's femur when the load is applied to the proximal end of the patient's tibia.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the femoral plate away from the tibial plate includes operating a distraction instrument coupled to the upper balancer body and lower balancer body to move the femoral plate away from the tibial plate.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining an inferior-superior distance defined between the femoral plate and the tibial plate by measuring a distance moved by the upper balancer body relative to the lower balancer body.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining the load applied to the proximal end of a patient's tibia and the distal end of the patient's femur.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining the tilt of the femoral plate by measuring a degree of tilt of the femoral plate relative to the lower balancer body.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising selecting a first size of at least one of (i) a tibial plate including a medial pad and a lateral pad and (ii) a femoral plate including a medial pad and a lateral pad configured to engage a distal end of a patient's femur.