Osseointegration by Relimb™

For some patients, fitting a prosthetic limb or body part in the traditional way, using a socket (for upper or lower limb amputees) or skin-adhesives (for facial prosthetics), can be just too difficult to manage. These patients may benefit from advances in Prosthetic Reconstruction using a surgical procedure called osseointegration. Osseointegration itself is a biological phenomenon whereby a metal implant becomes permanently attached to the human skeleton. Importantly, part of the implant projects through the overlying skin and it is this part that provides the means for securing an external prosthesis to the body. Because the osseointegrated implant is permanently fixed to the bone, any prosthesis attached to the implant is also anchored to the bone (we call this direct skeletal fixation or DSF) making it easier to secure the prosthesis.

At the Royal Free Private Patients Unit, our world class plastic surgery team are experienced in inserting osseointegrated implants into the residual bone of both upper and lower limb amputees and patients who have sustained loss of their body parts from the head and neck area (e.g. the face). Most surgery is done in a one-stage, under general anaesthesia.

To find out more about what our surgeons may be able to offer you, please follow the links to the Relimb™ webpage

Nerve and Soft-tissue surgery

Although the emphasis of Relimb™ is to provide a bespoke, direct skeletal fixation (DSF) service for amputees, we are also able to provide patients with the entire range of surgical interventions needed by amputees. Not all amputees are suitable for, or wish to undergo, DSF surgery. Nevertheless, many amputees experience problems such as pain, poor socket-fitting due to changes in the shape and size of their stumps, skin ulcers, bony prominences, infections and many other issues which limit their ability to mobilise freely.

Nerve-related pain, such as neuroma and phantom limb pain, is another major source of pain for many amputees or multiply traumatised individuals. Relimb™ has extensive experience in the use of Targeted Muscle Reinnervation surgery to address both neuroma and phantom limb pain. Importantly, we are also able to utilise the entire spectrum of reconstructive plastic surgery procedures to deal with any soft-tissue problems which may be encountered by our patients in their quest to regain maximum quality of life.

To find out more about what our surgeons may be able to offer you, please follow the links to the Relimb™ webpage