News Release

FORT WAYNE — Innovative orthopedic technology and multidisciplinary care are changing the future for lower extremity amputees in Indiana.

Committed to the advancement of patient-centered care and innovative technologies, Parkview Regional Medical Center and Orthopaedics NorthEast have launched an osseointegration program with Integrum, the manufacturer of the “OPRA Implant System.”

The program is the first of its kind in Indiana, using advanced bone-anchored prosthesis technology to transform quality of life for individuals with lower extremity amputations.

Osseointegration is a surgical procedure in which a titanium fixture is implanted into the patient’s bone. After healing, a connection device is used to attach a conventional prosthetic limb to the implant. The approach is an alternative to a standard socket prosthesis and offers a range of benefits for amputee patients, including improved mobility, enhanced comfort, reduced pressure, a stable attachment, and more.

The implant is installed via two surgical procedures. In the first surgery, the fixture is implanted into the bone and over a period of time, the patient’s bone will integrate with the implant. In the second surgery, a titanium abutment is attached to the fixture and extends through the skin. At this point the rehabilitation process begins, which includes connecting the implant system to the patient’s conventional artificial leg.

“With osseointegration, people who have lost their limb don’t have to lose their quality of life,” said Dr. Christopher Johnson, a specialist in orthopedic oncology and joint reconstruction who cares for patients through Orthopaedics NorthEast and Parkview. “The OPRA Implant System helps amputees avoid many of the frustrations commonly associated with a standard prosthesis. By biologically attaching the prosthetic, patients experience fewer complications, more stability and the ability to attach their limb in seconds.”

Parkview and Orthopaedics NorthEast are able to offer the treatment option for amputees because of a subspecialized, multidisciplinary approach to care. In addition to Dr. Christopher Johnson, the care team includes Dr. Justin Bryant, Parkview Physicians Group – Plastic Surgery, who performs the microvascular plastic surgery required for osseointegration, as well as Dr. Cory Johnson, Parkview Physicians Group – Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, who oversees the program’s amputee clinic, which offers a comprehensive approach to care, rehabilitation and management for those who experience limb loss.

The program’s first osseointegration surgery was conducted at Parkview Regional Medical Center in March.

To learn more about Integrum’s implant system, visit www.integrum.se.