Abstract: A sternal closure assembly for securing first and second lateral halves of a sternum. The assembly includes a first sliding body having a female portion and a second sliding body having a male portion, the male portion being telescopically mateable with the female portion. The male portion is capable of being fully introduced into the female portion only upon there being an elastic deformation of at least a part of at least one of the male and female portions, the male and female portions configured such that when the second body is mated with the first body the elastic deformation results in a forceful engagement between the male and female portions and also a forceful engagement between a first set of non-deforming teeth extending upward from an interconnecting bridge member of the first sliding body and a second set of non-deforming teeth extending upward from an interconnecting bridge member of the second sliding body.