The Mangled Extremity: Osseointegration

Patients with amputations often fail to tolerate conventional sockets resulting in complications that cause pain, skin breakdown, and improper prosthesis fit. Osseointegration allows direct attachment of an external prosthesis to the skeleton providing enhanced biomechanical advantage as well as rehabilitation potential to the patient. Multiple percutaneous implant systems exist with varying level of clinical use internationally. The purpose of this chapter is to review the history of osseointegration, osseointegration technique, implant examples, published research, and reported outcomes.