Patent ID: 8277511

Claim:
A prosthesis for a ball and socket joint, the prosthesis comprising: a first component including an anchoring shank and a metaphyseal portion, the metaphyseal portion comprising a translation portion defining a first articular surface, and a receiving portion configured to receive the translation portion in a complementary fit such that the translation portion is free to move in two directions relative to the anchoring shank in a first degree of freedom while constraining movement of the translation portion relative to the anchoring shank in a second degree of freedom; and an intermediate component comprising a first articular surface configured to engage with the first articular surface of the translation portion such that the intermediate component and the first component articulate between a first articular position and a second articular position, and a second articular surface configured to engage with the ball and socket joint, the first component and the intermediate component configured to engage with one another such that a distance between the first articular surface of the intermediate component and the metaphyseal portion decreases from the first articular position to the second articular position.