Immediate post-implantation skin immobilization decreases skin regression around percutaneous osseointegrated prosthetic implant systems.

A percutaneous, osseointegrated (OI) prosthetics are alternative docking systems for upper- and lower-extremity prostheses. Persistent inflammation and micro-motion are known to cause negative soft-tissue adaptation in wound healing and may also be detrimental to implant longevity. In this study, a unique single-stage sheep amputation and implantation model was developed to assess the efficacy of a porous coated sub-dermal fixation surface in the prevention of skin regression around a percutaneous osseointegrated prosthetic implant. Porous coated and smooth sub-dermal fixation surface prosthetics were implanted in the right forelimb of skeletally mature sheep for up to 12 months. Skin regression kinetics and sub-dermal fixation surface coverage were measured from histological samples. Quantitative measurements of porous coated surfaces yielded skin migration rates of 0.90 ± 0.23, 0.56 ± 0.15, 0.44 ± 0.22 mm/month for the 6, 9, and 12 month animals, respectively. In addition, three load dependent regions of skin adaptation were identified; an interface, a transition, and a stress absorbance region. Immediate post-implantation immobilization of the skin may foster improved load-bearing percutaneous device outcomes. The skin adaptations reported here will aid in informing the design and optimization of future percutaneous, OI devices intended for the treatment of upper- and lower-extremity amputees.