Osseointegration for Amputees

Osseointegration gives an amputee a prosthetic limb that attaches directly to the skeleton instead of being held on by a socket. A metal implant is placed inside the remaining bone, where bone grows onto its surface and locks it in place, and a short connector passes through the skin so the external prosthesis can be clipped straight onto it. For people whose socket causes pain, skin breakdown, sweating or repeated loosening, this removes the socket problem entirely. It also restores a sensation of the ground through the bone, which many users describe as feeling connected to the limb again. Treatment is a staged programme of surgery and structured rehabilitation rather than a single operation.