Each year, about 185,000 people lose a limb to disease or trauma, and a staggering 3.6 million Americans will live without an arm or leg by 2050, according to the Amputee Coalition. 

Losing a limb poses daunting emotional and physical challenges. Regaining mobility and function is critical for these patients to recover and reclaim their lives.  

Yet, most amputees use prosthetic limbs that are manually attached in a way that causes skin irritations and frequent slipping of the prosthetic, according to Dr. John Abraham, director of orthopedic oncology at Capital Health in Mercer County. Manually attached prosthetics are also difficult to maneuver, requiring lots of energy to walk and climb steps.  

Now, amputees have a better option ⁠— osseointegration, which essentially means fusing bone and metal. 

The osseointegration procedure not only makes it easier to put the prosthetic on, but also helps patients much better than a standard socket prosthetic. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

With USDA approval last December, the procedure is slowly becoming available to more amputees. It involves inserting a metal rod into the bone, then allowing that to heal so the bone grows into the metal, Abraham explained. In a second operation, surgeons connect a shaft to the screw now buried in the bone. The prothesis is attached to that rod. 

“Osseointegration provides a direct connection of the prosthetic to the bone,’’ Abraham explained. “It’s a huge advancement. It gets rid of the socket and all the problems associated with it. It’s less wear on the skin, makes it easier to put the prosthetic on. But the main benefit is patients walk much better. They can go up and down stairs and ramps much better than with a regular socket prosthetic.’’ 

While using osseointegration for amputees is new in the United States, the procedure has been used for years in dental implants — an increasingly popular option for people faced with tooth loss, said Dr. Robert M. Bagoff, co-director of the Chivian Dental Health Center alongside Dr. Barry D. Wagenberg, and director emeritus of the Division of Restorative Dentistry at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. 

Osseointegration has been used for years in dental implants — an increasingly popular option for people faced with tooth loss. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

“Implants changed the treatment that is available to people,’’ Bagoff said, adding that more than a quarter of Americans over 65 have significant tooth loss. “When someone loses a tooth, you can leave it alone, but many patients want to replace it for function and aesthetics.’’ 

Implants are far superior to bridges and dentures, functioning just like natural teeth and lasting decades. 

“Millions of implants have been placed in the U.S. and throughout the world since the early 1980s,’’ said Bagoff, who oversees a residency program that teaches general practitioners to perform implant surgery. 

Osseointegration involves inserting a metal rod into the bone, then connecting a shaft to the screw now buried in the bone. The prothesis is attached to that rod. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

This bodes well for amputees. A small pool of surgeons is currently performing osseointegration for amputees, as more physicians are being trained, according to Abraham, who is currently the only approved doctor in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania able to offer the procedure to amputees. 

“If a person has a traditional amputation socket that they’re struggling with, it’s worth it to get evaluated,’’ Abraham said. “Patients who have had it done say it’s well worth the effort. They have a lifetime of a well-functioning prosthetic. This is far superior to what we have now.’’ 

Nancy Parello writes frequently for NJ Advance Media/Jersey’s Best. A former statehouse reporter, she previously worked for the Associated Press and The Record.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2022 issue of Jersey’s Best. Subscribe here for in-depth access to everything that makes the Garden State great.