Elbow arthroplasty apparatus, system, and method

1. A method for implanting an elbow prosthesis in a patient, the method comprising:

obtaining the elbow prosthesis, the elbow prosthesis including:

an ulnar component including a bearing end and an ulnar stem, wherein the ulnar stem extends away from the bearing end,

a humeral component including a holder end and a humeral stem, wherein the humeral stem extends away from the holder end, and

at least one bearing liner coupled to the holder end,

wherein the bearing end is configured to be coupled within the holder end to articulate against the at least one bearing liner;

making an incision in the patient to thereby expose an implantation site for the elbow prosthesis;

determining a proper size for the ulnar component and for the humeral component;

preparing an ulna and a humerus of the patient;

securing the humeral component in the humerus of the patient;

securing the ulnar component in the ulna of the patient;

attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component; and

closing the incision in the patient,

wherein the elbow prosthesis further includes a retention trap, and wherein attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component includes rotating the retention trap relative to the humeral component thereby locking the ulnar component within the humeral component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising assessing the condition of the ulna and the humerus to determine a degree of hard and soft tissue resection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the humerus of the patient includes resecting a distal end of the humerus and removing fracture fragments to expose the distal end of the humerus.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the proper size for the ulnar component and for the humeral component includes:

temporarily implanting two or more different sizes of the ulnar component or the humeral component; and

assessing at least one of soft tissue balance, range of motion, joint spacing, and stability between the two or more different sizes of the ulnar component or the humeral component.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component includes rotatably coupling the ulnar component to the humeral component.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component includes securing the at least one bearing liner to an inner surface of the holder end.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ulnar component is attached to the humeral component prior to securing the ulnar component in the ulna of the patient.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the ulnar component is attached to the humeral component prior to securing the humeral component in the humerus of the patient.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ulnar component is secured in the ulna of the patient and the humeral component is secured in the humerus of the patient prior to attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching surrounding soft tissue structures to the elbow prosthesis.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retention trap includes a bore, and wherein the method includes inserting an instrument into the bore and rotating the retention trap via the instrument.

12. A method for implanting an elbow prosthesis in a patient, the method comprising:

obtaining the elbow prosthesis, the elbow prosthesis including:

an ulnar component including a bearing end and an ulnar stem, wherein the ulnar stem extends in a distal direction from the bearing end,

a humeral component including a holder end and a humeral stem, wherein the humeral stem extends in a proximal direction from the holder end, and

a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism including at least one bearing liner, the bearing end, and the holder end,

wherein the at least one bearing liner is positioned within the holder end and the bearing end is configured to be rotatably coupled within the holder end and articulate against the at least one bearing liner;

making an incision in the patient to thereby expose an implantation site for the elbow prosthesis;

determining a proper size for the ulnar component and for the humeral component;

preparing an ulna and a humerus of the patient;

securing the humeral component into the humerus of the patient;

rotatably coupling the ulnar component to the humeral component;

securing the ulnar component in the ulna of the patient; and

closing the incision in the patient,

wherein the elbow prosthesis further includes a retention trap, and wherein rotatably coupling the ulnar component to the humeral component includes:

inserting the bearing end of the ulnar component into the holder end of the humeral component adjacent to the at least one bearing liner;

inserting the retention trap into the holder end;

securing the at least one bearing liner to an inner surface of the holder end by rotating the at least one bearing liner within the humeral component to engage a locking flange of the at least one bearing liner with the a locking shoulder of the humeral component; and

rotating the retention trap and the at least one bearing liner relative to the humeral component to lock the retention trap and the at least one bearing liner to the humeral component.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein rotatably coupling the ulnar component to the humeral component includes attaching the ulnar component to the humeral component and rotating the ulnar component from hyperextension with respect to the humeral component into flexion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the attached ulnar component is rotated from ninety degrees of hyperextension.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one bearing liner and the retention trap are prevented from further rotation upon locking the retention trap and the at least one bearing liner to the humeral component.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the retention trap is operatively engaged to the at least one bearing liner during rotation of the retention trap and the at least one bearing liner.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ulnar component is secured in the ulna of the patient subsequent to the humeral component being secured in the humerus of the patient and the ulnar component being rotatably coupled to the humeral component.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the holder end of the humeral component includes a pair of opposing yoke branches each defining a respective yoke slot, wherein each respective yoke slot includes a respective locking shoulder, and wherein each respective locking shoulder operatively engages the at least one articulation liner to prevent rotation of the at least one articulation liner after rotatably coupling the ulnar component to the humeral component.