Sondra Stieber’s Osseointegration Patient Story

Sondra Stieber was one of the first patients to receive a myoelectric arm following osseointegration surgery thanks to her multidisciplinary care team at HSS. Sondra met with Dr. S. Robert Rozbruch, chief of the Limb Lengthening and Complex Reconstruction Service, who discovered she was a candidate for osseointegration, when a limb prosthesis is connected directly to the bone. Dr. Rozbruch collaborated along with members of the HSS Prosthetics and Orthotics team, including Glenn Garrison CPO, LPO, senior director, to create a unique below-the-elbow prothesis to provide Sondra with a multifunctional hand where all the fingers move independently. It also has myoelectric software with pattern recognition to help drive and control her the hand. Today, Sondra is tying knots and can hit a ball with a paddle board, and is very excited to pave the way for future candidates of this procedure, which has been a very positive and motivating factor for her during this process.