Surgical instrument and method of same

A surgical instrument for use in an orthopaedic arthroplasty procedure, the surgical instrument comprising:

• a shaft having a first end and a second end;
• an impactor head attached to the second end of the shaft and including:
• first and second spaced ends;
• two spaced impaction surfaces disposed at the second end of the impactor head;
• a cavity disposed between the impaction surfaces, wherein the cavity is adapted to accommodate posterior-stabilizing spines of a first tibial implant component and a second tibial implant component having a size different than a size of the first tibial implant component;
• and
• an anterior wall formed at the second end of the impactor head and includes an anterior wall extension that, in combination with the two spaced impaction surfaces, forms a stable surface for impacting at least the first and second tibial implant components;
• wherein the anterior wall extension contacts the posterior-stabilizing spine of the first tibial implant component when the impactor head is positioned for impaction and the anterior wall extension contacts a patellar bearing surface of the second tibial implant component when the impactor head is positioned for impaction.

A method of using a surgical instrument during an orthopaedic arthroplasty procedure, the surgical instrument including first and second ends, an impactor head disposed at the second end of the surgical instrument and including spaced apart impaction surfaces disposed at the second end of the impactor head, a cavity formed between the impaction surfaces, and an anterior surface extension extending from an anterior wall at the second end of the impactor head, the method including the steps of:

• inserting a tibial implant component within a prepared tibia of the patient;
• and
• positioning an end of the surgical instrument adjacent the tibial implant component with a posterior-stabilizing spine of the tibial implant component extending into the cavity of the impactor head;
• and
• if a first tibial implant component having a first size is utilized, positioning the anterior surface extension of the impactor head against an anterior camming surface of the posterior-stabilizing spine to provide stability to the impactor head during impaction of the tibial implant component;
• or
• if a second tibial implant component having a second size different than the first size is utilized, positioning the anterior surface extension of the impactor head against a patellar bearing surface of the second tibial implant component to provide stability to the impactor head during impaction of the tibial implant component.