EU Public Healthcare Services are increasing interest in Osseointegration for amputees

SYDNEY, NSW, AUSTRALIA, March 29, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- In the last trimester there has been increasing interest in European national Healthcare systems towards the osseointegration procedure for patients affected by limb amputation. This has resulted in the issue of two tenders for public reimbursement of a limited number of procedures.

This builds on the NHS England’s funded elective osseointegrated prosthetic that took place in November 2022 on a lower limb amputation patient, showing a growing interest in a solution that replaces the traditional prosthetic limbs attached to the body using straps or suction cups, which can be uncomfortable and can limit mobility.

This osseointegration technique for amputees derives from research undertaken in dental implants 40 years ago and involves the fusion of an implant with the surrounding bone, providing a more natural and stable connection to the external prosthetic device. A titanium implant is inserted into the stump leaving a section protruding through the skin where the prosthesis is attached. The first patient underwent this operation in the 90s but it was only after 2012, that this experimental surgical technique started to be considered routine, following improvements made to the implant design by the Iraqi-born orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Munjed Al-Muderis, now operating in Sydney, Australia.

The solution is widely available and fully reimbursed in Australia, while in Europe access has been limited to those patients who could entirely fund the costly procedure. With few exceptions: “This osseointegration technology has been used by British military surgeons for the last few years and it was clear that those patients were recovering faster and experienced fewer complications and infections, with no removals typical of the traditional procedures.” said Mr Trompeter a British orthopaedic surgeon. “Improvements to policy and ultimately the patient’s quality of life will come from combining techniques, technology, and a robust, multidisciplinary collaborative approach between clinicians, engineers, and authorities. I look forward to a continued partnership with Professor Al Muderis as well as more cooperation between the UK and Australia to drive progress in osseointegration,” he said.

The initial step made by NHS England has been followed by public institutions in Italy and the Netherlands which have decided to fund a limited number of osseointegration surgeries to non-military patients.

Professor Al Muderis said he was humbled that the technology he has pioneered has been funded by the NHS: “To receive the endorsement of the NHS for osseointegration is a significant step forward in making the surgery available to public patients and I am grateful that other national European healthcare services are following these footsteps. While osseointegration surgery isn’t new, the OPL technology I have developed gives patients a shorter rehabilitation time, thereby enhancing the mobility and quality of life of amputees.”

Osseointegration remains a surgery whose success is multifactorial and may not be suitable or successful for all claimants in injury claims but is important that this option has greater opportunities for exploration and for a serious long-term health economic evaluation. The advent of provision in the various national healthcare systems is a welcome event for patients, and the first step towards a promising future for this technology.

William Lu
Osseointegration International
+61298092111 ext.
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube