About upper and lower limb osseointegration
Quick facts
- Osseointegration (OI) surgery involves the insertion of a metal implant into the bone of your residual limb. Following a rehabilitation process, you will be able to attach a prosthesis directly to the implant.
- OI, while innovative, is a well-established surgical technique that goes back decades.
- OI provides many advantages, including greater control over your prosthesis and greater convenience for donning and doffing.
OI is a surgical procedure that involves inserting a metal implant into the bone of your residual limb. Following the procedure and a period of rehabilitation, you will find it easier to attach your prosthesis directly to this implant than to use a socket.
Although OI technology is advanced, it is not new. In fact, it is a highly trusted and well-understood process. The scientific discoveries underpinning this type of surgery were first made in the 1950s and the first procedures using OI for amputees took place in Sweden in the 1990s.
Advances in OI technology are rapidly changing the game for amputees worldwide. At Relimb™, we are proud to offer the procedure to people who have suffered an upper or lower limb amputation.
The benefits of osseointegration
- Eliminates the problems associated with a standard socket-fitted prosthesis such as rubbing and chafing, sweating, painful skin ulcers, neuroma pain and changes in stump volume.
- Greater control over your prosthesis, with improved stability and increased range of movement of the residual limb.
- Reduced energy requirements when walking.
- Easier to put on and remove your prosthesis.
- Better overall quality of life with osseoperception through the implant. Osseoperception is the feedback patients get from their prosthesis when they walk. In some cases, experienced users are even able to distinguish between walking on grass versus carpet!
Why Relimb?
As a patient, you are at the heart of everything we do and why we do it. You will receive a plan of treatment, tailored to your specific needs, from the Relimb team, who are experienced leaders in the field of OI and TMR surgery. In addition, you will benefit from having a holistic approach to your care, since Relimb can provide you with all your surgery and prosthetic/rehabilitation support in one seamless package. Our aim is to help you reach the outcomes you have been dreaming of.
Procedure
OI surgery can be performed in 1 or 2 stages, depending on the implant system and the part of the body requiring treatment. Read our OI surgery pages for more details.
More Services
With a passion for innovation, we have the expertise and partnerships to provide you with a full spectrum of care. Osseointegration is at the heart of what we do, but at Relimb, our specialists will evaluate you as an individual and tailor a reconstructive plan that suits your needs and goals. Our other services are:
Amputee
Discover an innovative surgical procedure with proven results for upper and lower limb amputees, to enhance mobility, boost confidence, and restore independence.
Upper Limb
Comprehensive assessment of your suitability, combined with state-of-the-art upper limb amputation techniques, including evaluation for Osseointegration and primary targeted muscle reinnervation.
Lower Limb
Comprehensive assessment of your suitability, combined with state-of-the-art lower limb amputation techniques, including evaluation for Osseointegration and primary targeted muscle reinnervation.
Hand
Advanced surgical solutions for chronic hand injuries, including reconstruction and treatment for neuroma pain.
Face and Neck
Craniofacial Osseointegration for prosthesis suspension, soft tissue reconstruction and facial reanimation for facial palsy.