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Updated: Jan 26, 2026
Bioelectric Analyses of an Osseointegrated Intelligent Implant Design System for Amputees
Published on: July 15, 2009
Radiographic Evaluation of Bone Remodeling Around Osseointegration Implants Among Transfemoral Amputees
Seamus Thomson1, Alasdair Thomson2, Kevin Tetsworth3
1Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Unit, School of AMME, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Objectives:
To examine periprosthetic bone remodeling among the recipients of 2 types of lower-limb osseointegrated systems, the Integral Leg Prosthesis (ILP) and the Osseointegration Prosthetic Limb (OPL) type A, over a >24-month period.
Design:
Retrospective cohort study.
Setting:
Private hospital, with a specialized osseointegration unit.
Patients:
Twenty-eight patients with transfemoral lower-limb amputations were fitted with osseointegrated systems. Of these patients, 15 received the ILP and 13 the OPL osseointegrated implant.
Intervention:
Radiographic measurements were taken at baseline (0.4 ± 0.5 years) and at follow-up (3.0 ± 0.8 years) after the osseointegration procedure.
Main Outcome Measurements:
Radiographic bone density, longitudinal bone coverage, and bone width outcomes were measured in inverse "Gruen zones." Bone remodeling was evaluated by comparing changes between baseline and follow-up measurements.
Results:
Radiographic bone density decreased in all zones among both ILP and OPL groups. Cortical bone thickness increased among the OPL group in zones 3 (P < 0.05) and 5 (P < 0.05). Distal bone coverage of the ILP implant decreased by 2.3% (P < 0.01) and 4.1% (P < 0.05) of the total implant length on the medial and lateral sides, respectively.
Conclusions:
Decreased bone density with increased periprosthetic cortical thickness suggests a change in the bone architecture for the OPL group. The findings of this study raise concerns for the long-term success of the ILP implant. Radiographic analysis of x-rays seems to be a useful tool for clinicians to evaluate bone remodeling around osseointegrated prosthesis.
Level Of Evidence:
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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