Surgical instrument for implanting a semi-rigid medical implant

A method of implanting a semi-rigid surgical implant comprising:

• providing a first semi-rigid surgical implant and a second semi-rigid surgical implant that each comprise an implant body, a male engagement mechanism, a female engagement mechanism, a locking mechanism and a locking pin, wherein the implant body has an opening formed therein, wherein the implant body is fabricated from a semi-rigid material, wherein the male engagement mechanism extends from an upper surface of the implant body, wherein the female engagement mechanism is formed in a lower surface of the implant body, wherein a shape of the male engagement body is complementary to the female engagement body, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a main section having an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the locking mechanism seats at least partially in the opening and wherein the locking pin extends through the aperture and the implant body to retain the locking mechanism in engagement with the implant body;
• sliding the first semi-rigid surgical implant with respect to the second semi-rigid surgical implant so that the male engagement mechanism on the first semi-rigid surgical implant extends into the female engagement mechanism on the second semi-rigid surgical implant;
• deflecting the locking mechanism from an undeflected configuration to a deflected configuration as the male engagement mechanism on the first semi-rigid surgical implant is extended into the female engagement mechanism on the second semi-rigid;
• wherein the locking mechanism returns to the undeflected configuration once the first semi-rigid surgical implant reaches an engaged position with respect to the second semi-rigid surgical implant;
• and
• wherein the locking mechanism once returned to the undeflected configuration retains the first semi-rigid surgical implant in the engaged position with respect to the second semi-rigid surgical implant.