Maintaining proper mechanics tha

Abstract

A prosthetic hip joint is disclosed. The prosthetic hip joint includes a femoral component, which further includes a femoral head with a femoral head cavity and an acetabular component. The acetabular component includes an acetabular cup and an acetabular cup insert. The acetabular cup insert and the acetabular cup each has a through hole, where the through holes overlap a location of a native femoral head ligament.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic hip joint comprising:
 a femoral component including a femoral head with a femoral head cavity; and   an acetabular component including an acetabular cup and an acetabular cup insert, the acetabular cup insert and the acetabular cup each having a through hole, where the through holes overlap a location of a native femoral head ligament.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 1 , wherein the femoral head cavity is sized to receive a portion of a native femur that remains attached to the native femoral head ligament. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 1 , wherein the femoral head cavity extends into a neck of the femoral component. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 1 , wherein the femoral head cavity extends through a neck of the femoral component and into a shaft of the femoral component. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 1 , wherein the through holes of the acetabular cup and acetabular cup insert are oriented to align with a location where a femoral head ligament is mounted to an acetabulum. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 1 , wherein the acetabular cup includes a bowl-shaped wall at least partially delineating a concavity, the bowl-shaped wall includes a top perimeter demarcating a first opening through the bowl-shaped wall, the bowl-shaped wall also demarcates a second opening sized to allow throughput of at least a portion of a femoral head ligament. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 6 , wherein the acetabular cup further includes at least one tab operatively coupled to the wall, wherein the at least one tab includes a through hole. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 6 , wherein the acetabular cup further includes a plurality of tabs circumferentially distributed about the top perimeter of the wall, each of the plurality of tabs has a through hole. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthetic hip joint of  claim 6 , wherein the acetabular cup includes a plurality of guide pins each sized to allow insertion into the through hole of each tab. 
     
     
         10 . A method of mounting an acetabular component to a patient, the method comprising:
 positioning and aligning an acetabular jig with respect to an acetabulum, where the acetabular jig includes a bowl-shaped wall having a through hole accommodating throughput of a portion of a femoral head ligament attached to the acetabulum;   drilling reference holes proximate the acetabulum using the acetabular jig as a guide; and   inserting a pin into each reference hole;   wherein the positioning and aligning step includes inserting the portion of the femoral head ligament attached to the acetabulum through the through hole of the acetabular jig.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 positioning a guide cup with respect to the pelvis using the pins; mounting a guide pin to the acetabulum while the guide cup is in position; and   removing the guide cup after the guide pin is mounted to the acetabulum.   
     
     
         12 . A method of implanting at least one orthopedic hip joint component, the method comprising:
 implanting and mounting at least one of an acetabular component to a native acetabulum and a femoral component to a native femur; and   maintaining a connection between a native femoral head ligament and at least one of the native acetabulum and the native femur.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the implanting act includes mounting the acetabular component to the native acetabulum; and   the acetabular component includes a cup having an orifice through which the native femoral head ligament extends.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the implanting act includes mounting the femoral component to the native femur; and   the femoral component includes a cavity to receive at least a portion of the native femur connected to the native femoral head ligament.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 reshaping a portion of a native femoral head attached to the native femoral head ligament to create a femoral revision;   implanting and mounting the femoral component to the native femur; and   coupling the femoral component to the femoral revision.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising severing the native femoral head from the native femur, wherein the femoral revision comprises a femoral bone insert, and wherein the act of coupling the femoral component to the femoral revision includes inserting the femoral bone insert into a cavity of the femoral component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity extends into a neck of the femoral component. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity extends through a neck of the femoral component and into a shaft of the femoral component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the implanting act includes implanting and mounting the acetabular component to the native acetabulum; and   the implanting act includes implanting and mounting the femoral component to the native femur.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising mounting a first portion of a tether to at least one of the native acetabulum and the acetabular component, and mounting a second portion of the tether to at least one of the native femur and the femoral component.