Patent ID: 7611539

Claim:
A shoulder prosthesis assembly, comprising: a metaglenoid element comprising a plate and a central tubular adapter an entirety of which extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to said plate, said tubular adapter having an axial bore that is threaded over a fraction of a length of said axial bore, said tubular adapter coacts with at least one anchoring member to anchor said metaglenoid element in a glenoid cavity; and a glenoid sphere having a housing fitted over said metaglenoid element, said plate being within said housing when assembled, said glenoid sphere having an axial screw that is capable of being screwed into said tubular adapter, said glenoid sphere having a joint surface for co-operating with a cup of an associated humeral prosthesis, said axial screw includes a head at one end and a smooth cylindrical surface at an opposing distal insertion end thereof that cooperates with a smooth cylindrical zone arranged in an inlet of said axial bore of said tubular adapter and allows axial insertion of said axial screw from said distal end into said axial bore of said tubular adapter without damaging threads of said axial bore.