Orthopedics

In the initial surgery, the surgeons performed targeted muscle reinnervation to restore nerves to the patient’s thigh and reduce his pain and phantom limb syndrome symptoms. Then in the distal end of his residual femur bone, they implanted the titanium osseoanchored prosthetic system, and used a bone graft harvested from the femur’s intramedullary canal to allow the bone to fill the gap and grow into the implant.

In the second surgery, surgeons attached a titanium abutment to the implanted osseoanchored prosthetic fixture through a skin aperture to allow a connection to the external prosthesis. A delicate soft tissue surgery and complex closure with skin graft around the metal abutment ensured proper tightening of the patient’s thigh musculature, fat, and skin, allowing it to heal down to the metal and bone and remove all gaps.

After a few months of healing, the patient was fitted for the full prosthetic device in May 2023. Physical therapy helped him gain strength and confidence and he began relying less on assistive devices. The technique, initially developed for dental implants, can be used for both upper and lower limb prosthetics, and may significantly expand the range of options after amputation due to bone tumors.

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