Your specialist doctor determines that an amputation is necessary and can also write a prescription or referral letter for a prosthesis.
Welcome To Amputee Care Center
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A first prosthesis is more than just an aid: it is the key to your new independence. You are embarking on a journey in which the right guidance, technology and care will determine how quickly and effectively you can resume your life.
At the Amputee Care Center (ACC), we ensure that you receive the right support from day one. With our years of expertise, holistic total care and high-tech solutions, we work together on your recovery, self-confidence and reintegration.
Contact us by completing the Contact Form or by calling +32 (0)470 500 888.
We are at your service.
A primary prosthesis – also known as a temporary prosthesis – is used during rehabilitation to allow your body to get used to moving with a prosthesis and to gradually put weight on the residual limb. This can be done as soon as your residual limb has recovered sufficiently to start practising movement. That is why we also call this prosthesis a transfer prosthesis for leg prostheses, because it helps you to make independent transfers, such as from the bed to the toilet.
With the initial prosthesis, we also discover together what is important for your final prosthesis. We test step by step what works well and where adjustments are needed. In this way, the initial prosthesis forms the basis for the design of your final prosthesis.
Features of a first prosthesis are:
At ACC, we see the initial prosthesis as a crucial step. The better this phase goes, the sooner you will receive your first permanent prosthesis.
Many patients think that you can only start using a prosthesis months after your amputation. That is a misconception. The prosthesis experts at the Amputee Care Center work together with your doctor and your rehabilitation team to ensure that you receive proper compression care for your stump, which often means that you can start using your first temporary prosthesis within a few weeks after the operation. Most lower leg amputation patients take their first steps with a lower leg prosthesis just 7-8 weeks after the operation.
Why early weight-bearing is so important:
At Amputation Care Centre (ACC), we see time and time again that starting prosthetic care as soon as possible helps you recover faster and better. Therefore, it is best to contact us before your amputation surgery. We are happy to work with your GP, surgeon and rehabilitation team to ensure that the prosthetic process is ready to go for you.
In most cases, a basic prosthesis is covered by your health insurance fund or health insurance policy. In Belgium, you need a prescription from a specialist doctor to have a prosthesis fitted and reimbursed by the RIZIV. For amputees from the Netherlands, we need a referral letter from your specialist or rehabilitation doctor for reimbursement through your insurance.
Many people think that you have to wait until after the amputation for this prescription or referral letter, but that is not necessary. As soon as your doctor has established the medical indication, we at Amputee Care Center can start the process before the operation.
Your specialist doctor determines that an amputation is necessary and can also write a prescription or referral letter for a prosthesis.
You or your doctor send us the prescription. We then take care of the entire administrative process.
Our specialists will arrange the request with your health insurance fund, health insurance company or private health insurer.
While you prepare for the operation, we will already be taking the first steps in your rehabilitation and prosthesis process.
This way, everything runs smoothly and flawlessly, without you having to fill in forms or contact authorities yourself. An amputation is drastic enough. At ACC, we ensure that you do not have to worry about the paperwork.
We leave nothing to chance. Your journey at the Amputee Care Center consists of several steps, carefully tailored to your situation:
Do you have any questions about the prosthesis process and how the prosthetists at the Amputee Care Center can support you? We are happy to answer all your questions. Simply schedule an introductory meeting, and we will take the time to listen to your story and think along with you. This is completely non-binding and free of charge.
Contact us by completing the Contact Form or by calling +32 (0)470 500 888.
We are at your service.
We offer post-operative solutions for amputation care, focusing in particular on compression (pressure) treatment of the residual limb (stump) after surgery. Our prosthetists support your doctors and the rehabilitation team at the hospital. Important aspects of care immediately after surgery include rigid dressing, the application of a special post-operative silicone liner and adapted compression therapy during the initial mobilisation phase. Good preparation is the first step towards your first prosthesis.
Immediately after amputation, a rigid dressing (firm bandage) is usually applied. This is a firm (but adjustable) bandage that immobilises the stump, provides protection and helps to limit swelling (oedema). The special rigid dressing (Ossur type) is often worn for the first 5-7 days after surgery.
Once the wound has healed sufficiently, the rigid dressing is replaced with a silicone liner such as the Iceross post-op liner. The Iceross liner is worn over the stump – the remaining limb – to:
The use of compression therapy (via the special liner) is often continued during the mobilisation phase to keep the stump shape stable while you move around and start using your first prosthesis. Earlier methods such as bandages or shrinker socks are becoming less common in hospitals and have been replaced by modern compression care after amputation. What is special about the new method is that it speeds up recovery, reduces complications and significantly improves the fit and comfort of the first and subsequent prostheses.
Your first leg prosthesis often allows you to experience what it is like to regain your independence. The first time you are able to stand upright again can be an emotional and powerful moment: a boost to your self-confidence. It also speeds up your recovery: you learn to walk again or perform other actions more quickly. In addition, your first leg prosthesis after amputation forms a bridge to the future, because the transition to your permanent leg prosthesis will be smoother.
For arm amputees, the first prosthesis often starts with a temporary or provisional socket, also known as a test or diagnostic socket. This important intermediate step helps to accurately assess fit, comfort, muscle strength and freedom of movement.
After several weeks of testing, measuring and adjusting, the provisional socket forms the basis for the final, permanent socket of your arm prosthesis.
A first prosthesis goes beyond just the physical fit. That is why we at ACC always offer total care:
The Amputee Care Center is renowned for innovation and is at the forefront of technology. For your first prosthesis, we use 3D scanning and 3D printing for the prosthetic sockets. The new generation of prosthetic technology offers greater precision in measurement, ensuring that your prosthetic socket fits your residual limb perfectly. We also use special liners that are easy to adjust or replace if your stump changes shape. In our orthopaedic prosthetic workshop – with a team of orthopaedic engineers who are experts in digital prosthetic technology and AI – we ensure that you benefit from the latest prosthetic technology.
Because Amputee Care Center does more than just make prostheses. We guide you from preparation to long-term follow-up. With over 60 years of experience in our family business, as part of Spronken, the latest technologies and a warm multidisciplinary team, we are the ideal partner for your first and final prosthesis.
At ACC, you will find:
A first prosthesis is not just an aid, but the beginning of your new independence. At ACC, we ensure that you take that step with confidence. Schedule a free, no-obligation introductory meeting, and we will connect you with one of our specialists who will take the time to answer your questions. No obligations and no waiting times, just personalised advice.
We understand that you may have many questions about your first prosthesis after an amputation. To help you get started, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions in our prosthesis centre. If your question is not listed, please contact us. We are happy to help.
Contact us by completing the Contact Form or by calling +32 (0)470 500 888.
We are at your service.
Often within a few weeks after the operation. At Amputee Care Center, we ensure that everything is prepared so that your journey can start quickly. Therefore, involve us in the process as early as possible, even before you have a prescription or referral from your doctor. Simply schedule a free orientation meeting.
The initial prosthesis is a temporary, simpler solution to help with adjustment and initial rehabilitation, while the permanent prosthesis is a custom-made, durable prosthesis for long-term use. A temporary prosthesis is made of lightweight materials and is primarily intended to enable you to start rehabilitation quickly. Your residual limb will change significantly in the first few months, which means that a temporary prosthetic socket will often need to be adjusted or replaced. A permanent prosthesis will only be fitted once the shape of your residual limb is completely stable and the components for your prosthesis have been tested and are functioning properly.
Because your residual limb changes significantly in shape and volume during the first few months. A temporary prosthesis helps you to rehabilitate and move around, while we customise a permanent prosthesis for you later on.
It may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but it should not hurt. Our prosthesis specialists, orthopaedic technologists and bandagers, will adjust the prosthesis to ensure it fits comfortably.
In Belgium, the first prosthesis is fully reimbursed by your health insurance fund and the RIZIV, and in the Netherlands by basic insurance. We help you with applications for reimbursement, approvals and authorisations and guide you through the entire process. The Amputee Care Center (by Spronken) is a recognised supplier of prostheses in Belgium and the Netherlands, which means that prosthesis wearers are also completely taken care of financially.
On average, you will use your first prosthesis for several months, until your residual limb is stable. After that, you will receive a permanent prosthesis.
During this phase, the emphasis is on getting used to your prosthesis, rehabilitation, basic movement and balance. For sporting activities, ACC can later develop a sports prosthesis that better suits your needs.
Yes, an amputation can bring up many emotions. The Amputee Care Center helps you to be mentally stronger at the start and guides you in the period afterwards, focusing on coping with loss, self-image and motivation. We work together with psychologists for this and, if desired, we can put you in touch with experts who have personal experience.
That varies from person to person. In the first few weeks, your residual limb often changes rapidly, which is why we are on hand to adjust your prosthesis regularly. This allows you to focus on your recovery and get through this initial phase comfortably.
This is usually not practical. Because your residual limb changes a lot immediately after amputation, it is important to first get used to a temporary, initial prosthesis. During this phase, you can try out all the high-tech solutions and components to find out what suits you best. We will then incorporate the most suitable high-tech prosthetic components into your new, permanent prosthesis.
Don't worry, we won't leave you walking around with it. At Amputee Care Center (ACC), we will look for a solution. Our goal is to make you feel as comfortable as possible, even in this initial phase. Our temporary prostheses are designed for experimentation and to discover what works comfortably and functionally for the user. It is normal for problems to arise during this phase, and almost always these can be resolved before the final prosthesis is fitted. If you are not satisfied with your first temporary prosthesis, technicians can, for example, adjust the fit of the socket by making corrections or adding extra padding to reduce pressure points. Other components, such as the foot, shaft or cushioning, can also be modified for greater comfort. If you experience pain, you can take a short break from exercising, or, in consultation with your technician, consider a different type of prosthesis or prosthesis socket.
Guidance can vary, but in the first few weeks it is usually daily or several times a week, then gradually reduced as you become more independent.
At ACC, prosthetists work closely with your general practitioner, home nurse, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and your rehabilitation team. You will learn step by step how to move safely, regain your balance and perform daily activities independently. At the Amputee Care Center, you will receive comprehensive prosthetic guidance. An orthopaedic technician will teach you how to put on and take off the prosthesis correctly, maintain it and adjust it if it causes discomfort.
Because this will speed up the process considerably. This means you can often get your first prosthesis in the first few weeks after your operation. Rehabilitation is often relatively quick, especially in the case of a lower leg amputation.
Yes, as soon as there is a medical indication, we can start the process. The exact time of the operation does not need to be known in order to initiate the application.
Only a specialist doctor can write the prescription. ACC can then arrange the application and processing.
No problem. We monitor your file closely and adjust it if necessary, so that it always reflects your current medical situation.
The prescription opens the door to reimbursement for a basic prosthesis, but during your journey we will work with you to determine which prosthesis best suits your lifestyle, activities and wishes. Our goal is always to offer you the best possible quality of life.
In Belgium, basic prostheses are usually fully reimbursed by the RIZIV. For more specialised prostheses, we will look at the options together. In the Netherlands, basic prostheses are usually also reimbursed, depending on your health insurer. ACC works with most Dutch health insurers.
ACC always provides a thorough file and has short lines of communication with the authorities. If your application is rejected, we will support you in lodging an objection or reapplying.
Certainly. We assist both new patients and people who have been using a prosthesis for years and are ready for a new one. Do you already have a prosthesis and are you curious about what else is possible, or are you not entirely satisfied? Then you can also contact us for a free, no-obligation second opinion.
Spronken is a NEN-EN-ISO 13485-certified supplier of orthopaedic equipment. Over the past 60 years, Spronken has grown into one of the largest companies in the fields of orthoses, prostheses, mobility and state-of-the-art rehabilitation equipment in Europe.
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