1. An orthopaedic surgical instrument system for use during a surgical procedure to implant an orthopaedic knee prosthesis, comprising:
a tibial base trial component adapted to be positioned on a surgically-prepared proximal end of a patient’s tibia, the tibial base trial component having an opening defined therein,
an insert component shaped to be received in the opening defined in the tibial base trial component, the insert component having a base plate and a central post extending upwardly from a superior surface of the base plate, wherein a superior surface of the central post has a ramp surface defined therein, the ramp surface inclines superiorly in the anterior-to-posterior direction, and
a tibial bearing trial component having an opening defined therein, the central post of the insert component being configured to be received in the opening of the tibial bearing trial assembly.
2. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein:
the central post comprises a collar extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the collar.
3. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 2, wherein:
the ramp surface defined in the collar has an anterior end and a posterior end,
the anterior end of the ramp surface defined in the collar is coplanar with the superior surface of the base plate, and
the posterior end of the ramp surface defined in the collar is spaced apart superiorly from the superior surface of the base plate.
4. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein:
the central post comprises a connector configured to secure the insert component to a surgical handle,
the connector comprising a flange extending anteriorly away from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the flange of the connector.
5. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein:
the central post further comprises an elongated anit-rotation lug extending in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the elongated anti-rotation lug.
6. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein:
the insert component comprises an inferior surface opposite its superior surface, and
the insert component defines a tibial evaluation component, the tibial evaluation component having a pair of bone engaging spikes extending inferiorly from the inferior surface of the insert component.
7. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein the tibial bearing trial component comprises:
a tibial bearing surface trial component having an articular surface, and
a shim removably secured to the tibial bearing surface trial component.
8. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 1, wherein:
the insert component comprises an inferior surface opposite its superior surface, and
the insert component defines a keel punch, the keel punch having a pair of serrated wings extending inferiorly from the inferior surface of the insert component.
9. A surgical instrument for use to surgically prepare a proximal end of a patient’s tibia during a surgical procedure to implant an orthopaedic knee prosthesis, the surgical instrument comprising:
a keel punch comprising (i) a base plate, (ii) a central post extending upwardly from a superior surface of the base plate, wherein a superior surface of the central post has a ramp surface defined therein, the ramp surface inclines superiorly in the anterior-to-posterior direction, and (iii) a pair of serrated wings extending inferiorly from an inferior surface of the base plate.
10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein:
the central post comprises a collar extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the collar.
11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein:
the ramp surface defined in the collar has an anterior end and a posterior end,
the anterior end of the ramp surface defined in the collar is coplanar with the superior surface of the base plate, and
the posterior end of the ramp surface defined in the collar is spaced apart superiorly from the superior surface of the base plate.
12. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein:
the central post comprises a connector configured to secure the keel punch to a surgical handle,
the connector comprising a flange extending anteriorly away from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the flange of the connector.
13. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein:
the central post further comprises an elongated anit-rotation lug extending in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the central post, and
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the elongated anti-rotation lug.
14. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein:
the surgical punch further comprises a tapered cylindrical post extending inferiorly from the inferior surface of the base plate, and
one of the pair of serrated wings is secured to a medial side of the tapered cylindrical post and extends medially therefrom, with the other serrated wing being secured to a lateral side of the tapered cylindrical post and extending laterally therefrom.
15. A method of trialing prosthetic components of a knee prosthesis, the method comprising
positioning a tibial base trial component on a surgically-prepared proximal end of a patient’s tibia,
inserting an insert component into an opening defined in the tibial base trial component, the insert component having (i) a base plate, and (ii) a central post extending upwardly from a superior surface of the base plate, wherein a superior surface of the central post has a ramp surface defined therein, and
advancing a tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that a leading edge of the tibial bearing trial component contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface so as to urge a posterior edge of the tibial bearing trial component superiorly in a direction away from the tibial base trial component.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction comprises advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that the leading edge of the tibial bearing trial component contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface so as to urge a femoral trial component and the tibial base trial component in a direction away from one another.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein:
the tibial bearing trial component comprises a tibial bearing surface trial component secured to a shim, and
advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction comprises advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that a leading edge of the shim contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface so as to urge a posterior edge of the tibial bearing surface trial component superiorly in a direction away from the tibial base trial component.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein:
the central post comprises a collar extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the central post,
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the collar, and
advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction comprises advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that a leading edge of the shim contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface of the collar so as to urge a posterior edge of the tibial bearing surface trial component superiorly in a direction away from the tibial base trial component.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein:
the central post comprises a connector configured to secure the insert component to a surgical handle,
the connector comprising a flange extending anteriorly away from the longitudinal axis of the central post,
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the flange of the connector, and
advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction comprises advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that a leading edge of the tibial bearing surface trial component contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface of the connector so as to urge a posterior edge of the tibial bearing surface trial component superiorly in a direction away from the tibial base trial component.
18. The orthopaedic surgical system of claim 15, wherein:
the central post further comprises an elongated anit-rotation lug extending in a direction away from the longitudinal axis of the central post,
the ramp surface is defined in a superior surface of the elongated anti-rotation lug, and
advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction comprises advancing the tibial bearing trial component in the anterior-to-posterior direction such that a leading edge of the shim contacts, and rides up, the ramp surface of the anti-rotation lug so as to urge a posterior edge of the tibial bearing surface trial component superiorly in a direction away from the tibial base trial component.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein:
the insert component comprises an inferior surface opposite its superior surface,
the insert component defines a tibial evaluation component, the tibial evaluation component having a pair of bone engaging spikes extending inferiorly from the inferior surface of the insert component, and
inserting the insert component into the opening defined in the tibial base trial component comprises inserting the bone engaging spikes of the tibial evaluation component through the opening defined in the tibial base trail component and into bone tissue.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein:
the insert component comprises an inferior surface opposite its superior surface,
the insert component defines a keel punch, the keel punch having a pair of serrated wings extending inferiorly from the inferior surface of the insert component, and
inserting the insert component into the opening defined in the tibial base trial component comprises inserting the serrated wings of the keel punch through the opening defined in the tibial base trail component and into bone tissue.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrostatic precipitator unit, comprising:
an outer housing having an inlet for a gas stream to be treated in the electrostatic precipitator and an outlet for treated gases,
an array of electrically-conducting tubes located within said housing and extending continuously from adjacent said inlet to adjacent said outlet, said array of tubes being electrically grounded to permit said array of tubes to act as collecting surfaces for particulate removal from the gas stream,
pairs of elongate rod electrodes located in each of said tubes, with one member of each pair of electrodes extending a first distance from one end of said tubes and the other member of each pair of electrodes extending a second distance from the other end of said tubes to be spaced apart from one another,
said one member of each pair of electrodes being electrically powered by a first power supply and said other member of each pair of electrodes being electrically powered by a second power supply to permit each pair of electrodes to act as ionizing electrodes for the gas stream,
wherein, in operation, differing power levels may be applied by said first and second power supply to gas flowing through said array of tubes during said first distance and to gas flowing in said array of tubes during said second distance.
2. The unit of claim 1 wherein the tubes have a round cross-section.
3. The unit of claim 1 wherein the tubes have a polygonal cross-section.
4. The unit of claim 3 wherein the tubes have a hexagonal cross-section.
5. The unit of claim 1 configured as a wet electrostatic precipitator unit.
6. The unit of claim 1 wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.
7. The unit of claim 1 wherein said array of electrically-conducting tubes is constructed of a carbon-fiber reinforced cross-linked thermosetting resin.