Bone-Anchored Devices that Permanently Pass Through the Skin to Maximize Amputee Function

A common orthopedic approach to recreating damaged joints is to securely attach a metal implant to the patient's own bone, a process known as osseointegration. Our research explores a new approach by engineering percutaneous osseointegration devices, in which the metal implant that pass permanently through the skin and permit connection to an external prosthetic limb when desired. The connection can not only be accomplished easily as needed; it also improves the function of the prosthesis. A team of researchers at the University of Utah has conducted a variety of engineering and animal studies of this innovative device, which culminated in the approval and successful completion of an FDA feasibility study in a population of 10 veterans with transfemoral amputations. The team is now conducting a larger multicenter trial in that population and is initiating a second feasibility study on patients with transhumeral amputation. The long-term goal of this research is to help maximize both functional recovery and quality of life among amputees.