Research & Presentations
Osseointegration: The Australian Experience After 500 Surgeries By William Lu, PhD; Seamus Thomson; Jiao Jiao Li, PhD; Iana Wong; Calina Betlazar-maseh; and Munjed Al Muderis, MB ChB, FRACS, FAOrthA [add credentials in if we get them]
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here is no doubt that an amputated limb can have a dramatic and detrimental effect on patients and their families. Unfortunately, amputations are estimated to occur at a rate of 1.5 per 1,000 people, equivalent to a worldwide amputee population of more than 10 million.1 Amputations can occur due to traumatic accidents, tumors, malformations at birth, or even infection. When an amputation involves a lower limb, the mobility of the patient can be greatly limited, which may result in wheelchair confinement. The common solution for lower-limb amputees to regain function and mobility is to use an artificial leg that can restore some functionality of the lost limb. Thanks to modern advancements in biomechanics and robotic engineering, we have seen vast improvements in artificial limb designs in recent years. A wide range of prosthetic options are currently available on the market, ranging
12 O&P News | July 2018
from hydraulic polycentric knee joints that help reduce energy expenditure, to advanced bionic leg systems that are programmed to assist the patient’s gait through a complex array of algorithms and microprocessing power.2 It is thus not surprising for people to believe that the current prosthetics could completely replace the missing body parts and fully restore mobility. However, the personal experiences of lower-limb amputees and their families tell us that the solutions available today are still far from ideal, and many patients are still challenged to perform even the simplest daily activities.
Problems With Current Prostheses The major problem lies in the way that these robotic limbs are attached to the body. For more than six centuries, the main method to attach a limb prosthesis was through a socket-mounted system.3 A socket is essentially a customshaped bucket that is designed to wrap
