Bone-Anchored Protheses

The treatment with bone-anchored or osseointegrated amputation prosthesis is a method that enables a patient to attach an amputation prosthesis without the use of a socket. This is made possible by surgically implanting a titanium implant into the bone.

This method was developed by Swedish Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark in the 1960s, when he discovered that titanium is not rejected by the body but instead integrates with the surrounding bone tissue. The discovery was initially used for the prosthetic replacement of teeth. Today, osseointegration is also used for leg, arm, hand, thumb and facial prosthetics, as well as the anchorage of hearing aids.

A bone-anchored prosthesis is easy to attach and stable to wear, allowing you to move more freely and safely. Studies on patients with transfemoral amputation show that a bone-anchored prosthesis improves quality of life and offers a greater degree of freedom in everyday life for the majority of patients.

Get to know the team

Arun Patél

Senior Orthopedic surgeon

Nikolaos Papadimitriou

Senior Orthopedic Surgeon

Josef Zarhoud

Orthopedic Surgeon

Joakim Olausson

OI-team coordinator for general matters, referrals, & follow-up visits.

Frida Kärnebro

OI-team coordinator for general matters, referrals, & follow-up visits.

Ulrika Toresson

Surgical coordinator

Jenny Holm Fernström

Surgical coordinator

Kerstin Hagberg

PhD, Assoc Prof

Registered Physiotherapist

Overview of treatment process

Team Assessment

Team assessment with orthopaedic surgeon, physical therapist (lower extremity) or occupational therapist (upper extremity) and orthopaedic engineer.

Surgery

Lower extremity: Either one or two stage surgery depending mainly on soft tissue conditions of the stump. 3-4 months between surgeries.
Upper extremity: Generally one stage surgery.

Post-Surgery Recovery & Follow-Up

Postoperative hospitalization 3-10 days.
Rehabilitation starts 3-4 weeks after surgery. Daily training at home over the next 6–8 weeks. After 12 weeks gradual increase of activities. After 6 months completed rehabilitation.
Follow-up visits with team assessment, lab and x-ray exams at 3-4 weeks, 6-8 weeks, 3 months, 6 months.
Continued follow-up 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 years after surgery and thereafter every fifth year throughout life.

Potential Risks & Complications

As with any type of surgical treatment, there is a risk of complications that may change the treatment or impair the outcome. Superficial infections around the skin-abutment area are common. These can often be treated with extra precise cleaning, but sometimes oral antibiotic treatment is required.

Serious complications such as loosening of the fixture due to insufficient osseointegration process or deep infection may occur.

Breakage of any of the prosthesis parts (abutment and/or abutment screw) are quite common and can easily be exchanged/fixed with a minor surgery at the clinic.