Osseointegration

Osseointegration is the direct surgical connection of a prosthesis through the distal end of the limb and into the underlying bone. For amputees, osseointegration involves implanting a metal anchor surgically to the bone of an amputated limb that extends out of the residual limb and attaching a prosthesis to the metal extension or abutment. Osseointegration has promise but it ignores the importance of the fascia. According to the latest research by Ortiz-Catalan and colleagues, the brain can’t rewire circuits to match the correct tactile sensation from a bionic hand. However, we are seeing enhanced proprioception through targeted fascial tension and skeleton stabilization working together in a non-surgical HiFi Interface.
Many amputees are excited to try the OI procedure (as is the surgical community) as prosthetic wearers have struggled with ongoing socket issues and poor socket performance, but we ask is osseointegration the right answer?
Potential Pros:

+ Increased use of a prosthesis
+ More stability in walking and standing
+ Ability to walk longer distances
+ Avoiding the skin problems associated with prosthetic sockets
+ Easy to remove and replace components
Potential Cons:

– Invasive surgical procedure
– Long recovery time
– Ongoing maintenance and cleaning of the wound site
– Risk of superficial skin infections and deep tissue infections
– Potential for the abutment to bend or break
– Potential of bone fractures
-Absence of fascial tension which negatively affects circulation and proprioception via mechanoreceptors embedded in the fascia
– Limitations on participation in high impact sports
– Potential for muscle pain in the first year
– Could involve multiple surgeries
– Small number of surgeons trained with smaller numbers trained in ongoing maintenance and follow-up
– Lack of long-term research
– Still considered “experimental” by many
– Costly
With our HiFi Interface, we have documented the benefits of OI – increased prosthetic use/longer wear times, increased stability, increased walking speeds, increased comfort, increased range of motion, and a feeling of being connected to your prosthesis, without the risk of any surgery. The greatest benefits occur when you combine skeletal stabilization with soft tissue fascial tension and better engage the full suite of mechanoreceptors, like we do with the HiFi Interface.
While we are not opposed to OI, we ask that you consider the HiFi first. We understand and appreciate your disappointment with bucket sockets and sockets claiming to solve all your issues. We’re disappointed with them too. But with the HiFi, no surgery is required, no recovery period, no open wounds, no ongoing infections, no medications, no fear of bone fractures, no fear of activities, and no fear of water. So what are you waiting for?
To the medical community, we support the idea of a connenction. In fact, we consider our HiFi Interface System more in line with OI than Standard of Care Sockets as we focus on achieving bone control. And we know OI shows much promise, but we challenge those surgeons performing OI on amputees with otherwise healthy limbs capable of using a removable interface to make your patients aware of the HiFi Interface System as a possible alternative, or better yet, prerequisite, to surgery.

Surgery is not your only option.

Show me the HiFi Interface.