Joint implant

A prosthesis for resembling the head of a human femur for use in total or partial hip arthroplasty of a patient in need of hip arthroplasty, said prosthesis comprising an artificial femoral head that includes:

• (a) a head portion that is constructed partially of a polymeric material, the polymeric material forming a polymeric outer shell;
• (b) a metallic connector means having the shape of a female taper affixed in a similarly tapered cavity at the bottom of the head portion in a non-articulating manner;
• wherein said connector means is designed to connect said head portion in a non-articulating manner to a femoral stem portion configured to extend into and fixedly attach to the intramedullary canal of a femur;
• wherein said head portion has a spherical or spheroidal portion that has a diameter sized equal to or slightly smaller than the diameter of the acetabular cavity or cup of the pelvis of the patient, so as to allow the head portion to interface and articulate with the acetabular cavity or cup to form a ball and socket joint;
• wherein said head portion further comprises an interior cavity defined between the polymeric outer shell and the connector means and an embedded core interior to the polymeric outer shell within the interior cavity, said embedded core comprising one of a solid non-polymeric material, a multiplicity of metallic spokes, a metallic scaffolding, or combinations thereof, and where the head portion further comprises fixing means to fixedly attach the polymeric outer shell and the embedded core to each other to prevent articulation or separation.