In Lviv, a prosthesis was implanted directly into the patient’s bone. This is called osseointegration prosthetics, and it has two advantages: sensitivity and functionality.
The first such operation was conducted the other day at the NEZLAMNI National Rehabilitation Center. The first patient was a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, captain of the ZSU, 56-year-old Ihor Krupnov.
In the fall, the car in which he and his brothers were traveling on an errand ran over landmines. Then he lost both legs. He regained consciousness only a few days after the injury. I was glad that the doctors managed to save his life.
When Ihor learned about the new technology of prosthetics, he wanted to be the first patient in Ukraine to have a part of the prosthesis implanted directly into the bone. Because it is important for him not just to walk, but also to run long distances. In 2016, a man overcame a marathon. Before his serious injury, he dreamed of running a half-marathon on his 60th birthday. Now Ihor is aiming to overcome a distance of 10 km on prostheses.
One of the leading specialists in the world – the Australian orthopedic traumatologist Munyed Al Muderis – helps Ukrainian doctors master the new field of prosthetics. He has already performed almost a thousand operations in his country, and another five hundred – around the world. His patients lead an active lifestyle and work without restrictions. In particular, they can engage in farming or even construction work.
“The advantage of osseointegration is that the patient has sensitivity with which he can feel the ground and can distinguish surfaces: for example, if he walks on grass, he feels its softness, or if he steps on a cable or his wife’s finger, he will feel it. Therefore, in this case, he will no longer say that he did not feel how he stepped on his wife’s foot,” says professor, orthopedic traumatologist Al Muderis.
Osseointegration surgery is actually necessary for people who have lost both limbs, because it is difficult and often painful for them to use classic prostheses. It is possible to take the first steps on implanted prostheses already on the second day after the operation. In another six weeks – to fully walk.
“This is a new era of prosthetics in Ukraine. I am proud of our doctors, thanks to whom this became possible in Lviv. Such operations are now performed at the UNBROKEN rehabilitation center,” Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovy noted.
“I am proud that such modern technologies are becoming available for our patients who have suffered terrible injuries and whose usual way of life has been taken away by the war. This is something worth scaling by bringing in experts. I am grateful to the doctors who respond and come to help. We saw how a famous doctor from Australia operates. I think that in the near future there will be both Germans and Swedes. In the future, I am sure that this practice will be implemented by our boys and girls who have experience in surgical interventions – will adopt this technology. We will use it to the maximum where possible. Let’s restore a person – a person will restore everything,” said Viktor Lyashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine, during a visit to the NEZLAMNI center.
Today, Igor feels well after the implantation.
“For the first time in five months, he took the first steps. The team of doctors is satisfied with the result. In total, during this visit of the Australian doctor, osseointegrating operations were performed on three Ukrainians. We would like to thank the entire team, in particular the heads of traumatology – Vasyl Rokita, and surgery – Hnat Gerych, for making dreams come true. Unbroken Ukraine: we rescue, provide prosthetics, and rehabilitate Ukrainians in Ukraine,” added the First Medical Association of Lviv.
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The UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center is a unique place where adults and children affected by the war receive comprehensive qualified medical care. This is reconstructive surgery, orthopedics and robotic prosthetics. Victims are not only fitted with prostheses, they are made here. Over the course of a year, 100 Ukrainians have already received prosthetics here for free. In addition, the center deals with physical, psychological and psychosocial rehabilitation of injured military personnel and civilians.
On April 11, a modern rehabilitation building was put into operation here. It is 7 floors with state-of-the-art recovery equipment. Every year, 10,000 Ukrainians will be able to receive help here. And during April 11-13, the International Rehabilitation Forum was held in this building: specialists from all over the world – doctors, experts, representatives of international institutions, foundations, European countries work together to discuss, analyze and develop ways of high-quality rehabilitation of people who suffered as a result of military actions in Ukraine. More than 800 participants attended the event.