Acetabular reamer handle and method of reaming an acetabulum

A method of reaming an acetabulum of a patient, the method comprising:

• connecting a reamer to a head part of a driveline of an acetabular reamer handle, the acetabular reamer handle comprising:
• a hollow shaft having a plurality of shaft sections comprising:
• a distal shaft section having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the distal shaft section having a plurality of flat engagement surfaces;
• an additional shaft section defining a first longitudinal axis and having a distal end that is pivotally attached to the proximal end of the distal shaft section via a first universal joint at a first pivot point between the distal end of the additional shaft section and the proximal end of the distal shaft section;
• and
• a first locking mechanism located at the distal end of the additional shaft section and operable to prevent pivotable movement of the distal shaft section relative to the additional shaft section, wherein the first locking mechanism comprises a first tubular engagement member within which the distal end of the additional shaft section is received and a first helical spring extending between a proximal end of the first tubular engagement member and a circumferential lip of the additional shaft section, the first tubular engagement member defining a ring-shaped engagement surface on a distal end thereof, wherein the distal shaft section is pivotable with respect to the additional shaft section to present each one of said plurality of flat engagement surfaces of the distal shaft section to the ring-shaped engagement surface for contact therebetween to orient the distal shaft section and the additional shaft section at a respective angle relative to each other, wherein the first helical spring is configured to urge the ring-shaped engagement surface of the first tubular engagement member against one of the plurality of flat engagement surfaces of the distal shaft section to lock the distal shaft section at a first angle relative to the additional shaft section, wherein the first angle is selected from a plurality of predetermined angles;
• a hollow neck part having a proximal end that is pivotally attached to the distal end of the distal shaft section via a second universal joint located at a second pivot point between the distal end of the distal shaft section and the proximal end of the neck part and further having a second longitudinal axis, and
• a second locking mechanism located at the distal end of the distal shaft section and operable to prevent pivotable movement of the neck part relative to the distal end of the distal shaft section, wherein the second locking mechanism comprises a second tubular engagement member within which the distal end of the distal shaft section is received and a second helical spring extending from a proximal end of the second tubular engagement member, wherein the second helical spring is configured to urge a distal end of the second tubular engagement member against the proximal end of the hollow neck part to lock the neck part at a second angle relative to the distal end of the distal shaft section, wherein the second angle is selected from a plurality of predetermined angles, and
• wherein the first and second pivot points provided by the respective first and second universal joints are configured to be adjustably oriented independent of each other to allow the distal end of the distal shaft section and the neck part to be oriented differently than the proximal end of the distal shaft section and the additional shaft section such that the distal shaft section and the neck part are movable to a first configuration in which the second longitudinal axis of the neck part is parallel and offset from the first longitudinal axis of the additional shaft section and to a second configuration in which the second longitudinal axis of the neck part and the first longitudinal axis of the additional shaft section are coaxial with each other;
• and
• said driveline, wherein the driveline extends through the shaft and the neck part, wherein the head part is mounted for rotation about the second longitudinal axis of the neck part,
• orienting the neck part and the distal shaft section at a first angle relative to each other via the second universal joint at the second pivot point;
• orienting the additional shaft section and the distal shaft section at a second angle relative to each other via the first universal joint at the first pivot point;
• and
• operating the driveline to apply torque to the reamer while the reamer is located in the acetabulum of the patient.