Implantable acetabular prosthetic hip joint with universal adjustability

An implantable prosthetic joint comprising:

• a) first bone securing means for constraining said prosthetic joint within a first bone of a biological joint, said first bone securing means including a spherical shell securable within a socket of said first bone, said shell including an inner spherical surface and an open circumferential end;
• b) second bone securing means for securing the prosthetic joint to a second bone of the biological joint, said second bone securing means including a femoral head and stem means connected with said femoral head for securing the prosthetic joint to the second bone;
• c) asymmetric socket insert means for connecting said second bone securing means with said first bone securing means, said socket insert means including:
• i) an outer spherical dome which engages with the inner spherical surface of said shell;
• ii) an open circumferential end having an asymmetric lip thereat;
• and
• iii) an inner spherical surface which receives said femoral head for ball-and-socket movement therein;
• d) securing means for securing said socket insert means to said first bone securing means;
• and
• e) rotational restraint means for preventing rotational movement of said socket insert means with respect to said first bone securing means when said socket insert means is secured in an operative condition with respect to said fist bone securing means, and for permitting rotational movement of said socket insert means with respect to said first bone securing means when said socket insert means is not secured in an operative condition with respect to said first bone securing means, said rotational restraint means including
• i) first locking means on said socket insert means in facing relation to said spherical shell, and
• ii) second locking means on said spherical shell for matingly engaging with said first locking means when said socket insert means is assembled with said first bone securing means in said operative condition;
• wherein said socket insert means includes an outer annular recess adjacent the open circumferential end of said spherical shell, the inner surface of said spherical shell including at least one groove, and said securing means including split retaining ring means positioned in said recess in operative engagement within said at least one groove so as to secure said socket insert means to said first bone securing means, wherein said socket insert means includes an annular rim section having an upper surface in facing relation to the open circumferential end of said spherical shell, said first locking means includes a plurality of first locking splines on the upper surface of said annular rim section, and said second locking means includes a plurality of second locking splines at the open circumferential end for mating engagement with the first locking splines so as to rotationally lock said socket insert means with respect to said spherical shell.