Rehabilitation of the transfemoral amputee with an osseointegrated prosthesis

Osseointegration for the trans-femoral amputee has been used in the United Kingdom since 1997. To date, 11 candidates have undergone the procedure. The rehabilitation programme for the osseointegration candidate is a long and intensive programme following two surgical operations. This paper outlines the importance of a pre-osseointegration assessment to explore candidates' suitability and expectations for the procedure. The physical and prosthetic advantages of direct skeletal attachment have led to improvements in candidates' comfort, function and quality of life. However, some aspects of this promising developmental procedure for the management of the trans-femoral amputee need to be critically evaluated before it becomes a routine clinical procedure in the United Kingdom.