Patent ID: 7291176

Claim:
A method for determining and recording the orientation of a modular hip implant neck, the method comprising: providing an assembly comprising: a trial implant comprising: a trial body having (i) a bore and (ii) an opening for attachment to a recording instrument; and a trial neck having (i) a shaft which is adapted for insertion into the bore of the trial body and (ii) a portion for attachment to the recording instrument; and the recording instrument comprises an elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end comprises (i) a first member for attachment to the trial neck and (ii) a second member coaxial with the first member for attachment to the trial body; adjusting the trial neck relative to the trial body so as to assume a desired orientation between the trial neck and the trial body, wherein the desired orientation is determined by orienting the trial neck in relation to a first anatomical reference and orienting the trial body in relation to a second anatomical reference; attaching the first member to the trial neck and the second member to the trial body so as to record the orientation of the trial neck and the trial body; providing a modular hip implant comprising a neck component and a body component; assembling the neck component and the body component in the recorded orientation; and inserting the assembled modular implant into a patient's femur.