Forearm bone-anchored amputation prosthesis: a case study on the osseointegration.
OBJECTIVE
Bone-anchored titanium implants have been used for anchorage of amputation prostheses for more than one and a half decades. Histo-logical and ultrastructural analyses were performed on a forearm amputation prosthesis after being in use for more than 11 years.


RESULTS
The implant was retrieved from the ulnar bone after a fatigue fracture of the titanium implant, and was clinically stable at the time of removal. The histological findings showed a large amount of bone within the threads and a high degree of apposition of mineralized bone to the implant surface. Ultrastructural analysis of thin samples prepared by focused ion-beam microscopy revealed an electron-dense layer at the interface and direct apposition of crystalline hydroxyapatite at the implant surface.


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations in this retrieval study provide a structural correlate to the functional properties and clinical results of amputation prostheses.
Palmquist
Anders
A
Department of Biomaterials, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. anders.palmquist@biomaterials.gu.se
Jarmar
Tobias
T
Emanuelsson
Lena
L
Brånemark
Rickard
R
Engqvist
Håkan
H
Thomsen
Peter
P
D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D005542:Forearm / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016348:Osseointegration / Q000502:physiology; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors; D014025:Titanium / Q000009:adverse effects
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D014025:Titanium