Patent ID: 8603154

Claim:
A method of assembling a modular prosthesis comprising: providing one or more interlocking modular segments, wherein each interlocking modular segment has a proximal and a distal end, a plurality of struts and a plurality of bends disposed between the proximal and distal ends, a ring shaped male interface element at the proximal end of a first modular segment, and a rounded female interface element at the distal end of a second modular segment, the ring shaped male interface element comprising a disk shaped element having a circumferentially projecting peripheral flange extending about a periphery of the disk shaped interface element, the disk shaped interface element having a thickness approximately equal to a first thickness and the circumferentially projecting flange having a thickness that is less than the first thickness, and the rounded female interface element comprising a socket element configured to accept the disk shaped element and overlie the flange of the ring shaped male interface element, the socket element having a thickness that is less than the first thickness; joining the one or more interlocking modular segments by inserting the ring shaped male interface element at the proximal end of a first interlocking modular segment into the rounded female interface element at the distal end of a second interlocking modular segment providing a plurality of interlocking modular segments in addition to the first and second interlocking modular segments; and joining the additional interlocking modular segments by inserting the ring shaped male interface element at the proximal end of one or more interlocking modular segments into the rounded female interface element at the distal end of another one or more interlocking modular segments, thereby causing a plurality of interlocking modular segments to extend from the proximal end of the first interlocking modular segment, and a plurality of interlocking modular segments to extend from the distal end of the second interlocking modular segment.