Osseointegration

At NYU Langone’s Center for Amputation Reconstruction, we offer osseointegration surgery, which is a potentially life-changing solution to limb loss. Osseointegration (OI) is an innovative surgical procedure for attaching prosthetic limbs directly to bone. Our center is one of the few in the United States that offers OI for both upper- and lower-body limb loss.

Our nationally recognized surgical and rehabilitation team is skilled in managing bony and soft tissue injuries caused by injury, illness, trauma, or birth conditions. Because we perform many such procedures each year, we have significant experience, contributing to optimal outcomes.

Our surgeons are part of a multidisciplinary team that includes physical and occupational therapists, prosthetists, mental health professionals, and social workers. This collaborative approach means that you receive exceptional, individualized care and ongoing support, ensuring your successful return to function.

What Is Osseointegration?

Imagine having a prosthesis that feels like a natural part of your body. Osseointegration securely anchors your prosthesis to bone through a titanium implant for improved movement, comfort, and independence.

Osseointegration can be especially helpful for people who cannot use traditional prosthetic liners and sockets due to short residual limbs, skin irritation, instability, or discomfort.

Benefits of Osteointegration

Here are some of the ways osseointegration may help you move and function more freely:

• creates a secure connection between body and prosthesis without a socket on the skin
• offers greater stability and improved durability of the prosthesis
• reduces skin sensitivity, sweating, and pain
• simplifies prosthetic attachment and removal though a snap-on/snap-off system
• increases independence, especially for people with multiple limb loss
• improves bone density over time, as natural, weight-bearing forces are transmitted through the prosthesis
• allows for easier and increased prosthetic use, which means more independence and more normal function

Your Journey with Us

As an alternative to traditional socket-based prosthetic devices, osseointegration is quickly becoming the standard of care for individuals with limb loss. Below are the typical steps we take as part of patient care.

Initial Evaluation and Consultation

During your first visit, you and your caregivers meet with our entire team to discuss your history, challenges, and concerns. We go over your treatment options and answer your questions. We also perform a physical exam and order X-rays; sometimes we conduct laboratory tests. Every person’s situation is unique, and we only pursue osseointegration if there is a mutual decision to proceed.

Presurgery Preparation

If surgery is deemed appropriate, we order a CT scan. At this point, our team may connect you with other NYU Langone providers to help prepare you for the procedure. A dietitian nutritionist can help you optimize your weight, for example, or ensure that you are getting enough protein in your diet. Sometimes physical therapy is recommended before surgery to ensure that you are ready for rehabilitation after the procedure.

You also have an opportunity to meet one of our patient ambassadors, who have had the procedure themselves at NYU Langone. They can fill you in on what to expect and answer questions about life after osseointegration.

Surgery

Our team conducts osseointegration surgery at NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital.

Osseointegration may be an option for single amputations as well as multiple limb loss. Our surgeons perform procedures above the elbow, above and below the knee, and on the thumb and digits.

Upper-limb procedures typically involve a single surgery to insert a metal implant into bone. Once healed, the implant connects directly to the prosthesis.

Lower-limb osseointegration requires two separate surgeries. First, surgeons insert the metal implant into bone. Two to three months later, after the bone heals and integrates the device, a metal piece called an abutment is attached through the skin to the implant. This allows a direct connection to the prosthetic limb.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

During your recovery, we visit you frequently to ensure you are healing well after surgery. Typically, we see you within the first week after surgery, and then every couple of weeks, until the incisions are fully healed. After that, X-rays and visits happen every two to three months until you are walking or prosthetic use is going well.

Once you are ready to begin weight-bearing activities, NYU Langone physical therapists can guide you through rehabilitation. If you don’t live nearby, our team can work with physical therapists in your local area. We also can assist with virtual surgical and physical therapy appointments. Within six months after the final procedure, most people can resume activities like walking without assistance.

Lifelong Support

After you’ve had surgery with us, you remain part of our community for life. Our center maintains contact with you to ensure your continued independence and success with your prosthesis. We also offer a monthly support group, a supportive space for people with limb loss to share experiences and discuss challenges and solutions.

Contact Us

To learn more about osseointegration surgery through the Center for Amputation Reconstruction, contact the program coordinator, Wendy Razzi, at 646-933-3931 or Wendy.Razzi@NYULangone.org.