Instrument for use in minimally invasive surgery

A method of providing a minimally invasive hip arthroplasty in conjunction with a main incision formed through a patient's skin and soft tissue in said patient's hip, said main incision providing primary access to an acetabulum of said patient, comprising:

• providing an instrument, the instrument including a main body,
• the main body including a lengthwise straight portion extending to a lower end of the main body,
• a handle on an opposite upper end of the main body,
• an angled sleeve member formed on said lower end of said main body, said angled sleeve member having a sleeve bore therethrough,
• an arm, the arm having a straight first arm portion, the first arm portion extending perpendicularly from the main body below the handle, and a straight second portion extending from the first arm portion, the second portion angled downwardly relative to the first arm portion,
• a guide ring formed on an end of the second arm portion, the guide ring having a guide bore therethrough, and the guide bore axially aligned with the sleeve bore of the angled sleeve member to thereby form an impaction axis aligned with the guide bore and the sleeve bore,
• inserting the angled sleeve member through said main incision and into said acetabulum,
• providing a trocar having a pointed tip, and, while said angled sleeve member is in said acetabulum, inserting the trocar through the guide bore until the pointed tip of the trocar approaches said patient's skin,
• pushing the trocar through said skin and said soft tissue of said patient until the pointed tip of the trocar comes into proximity with the angled sleeve in said acetabulum, and
• withdrawing the trocar from the instrument, thereby leaving a small portal incision in said patient's skin and a small path in said soft tissue between said small portal and said acetabulum.