Customised care before, during and after your amputation

Good preparation makes a big difference. At the Amputee Care Center (ACC), we often start prosthesis education and preoperative care before your amputation. This will give you insight into your rehabilitation, possible prostheses and what you can already do yourself. Ask your doctor to contact Amputee Care Center headquarters in Genk or contact us yourself. The earlier we are involved, the better we can guide you to a strong recovery.

Yes, of course. A prosthetist from the Amputee Care Center (ACC) is happy to visit you in hospital - if required and feasible - to support you, even in the acute phase. We offer early education, help nurses with compression care and answer all your questions about prosthetic care and rehabilitation. Ask your surgeon, doctor or nurse to contact us, or (together with a family member) contact us directly. You are not alone.

At the Amputee Care Center by Spronken, we offer a fully integrated care pathway for people with an arm or leg amputation. Our prosthetists work multidisciplinary with rehabilitation doctors, surgeons, general practitioners, nurses, physiotherapists, prosthetists and psychologists. Together, we guide patients from the preoperative amputation phase to long-term follow-up. Compression care, prosthesis development, gait analyses, measurement technology, exercise therapy and psychosocial support can be perfectly coordinated. We stand for short lines of communication and optimal continuity of care. Do you have a patient who needs to undergo an amputation? Are you interested in cooperation? Call or Whatsapp us. We will be happy to get to know you.

Yes, definitely. As a doctor, physiotherapist, nurse or healthcare provider, you can refer patients with a (planned) amputation directly to the Amputee Care Center (ACC). We offer a complete multidisciplinary process: from preoperative education on wearing a prosthesis, compression care, prosthesis fitting, aftercare, maintenance and reimbursement by mutual insurance or insurance. Early referral makes a world of difference in recovery, patient care and prosthesis acceptance. Feel free to contact our headquarters in Genk (Belgium) to collaborate or arrange an appointment.

Absolutely. Fear and uncertainty are perfectly normal. This is why we take plenty of time to discuss everything with you and guide you properly. At Amputee Care Center (ACC), we think it is extremely important that you are never alone and we will do everything we can to make the situation and transition as easy as possible for you.

Amputation due to diabetes usually happens because of poorly healing wounds, infections or circulatory problems. It is a drastic step, but with the right preparation and aftercare, you can preserve or regain a lot of quality of life. At the Amputee Care Center (ACC), we support you before and after surgery: with wound care, compression therapy, appropriate prosthetic care and specialised rehabilitation. The sooner you get involved in our care, the better your long-term recovery and mobility.

In an amputation due to vascular problems (such as peripheral arterial disease), the success of a leg prosthesis depends greatly on your overall health, blood flow, wound healing and motivation. A lot of people are better off with a leg prosthesis. These people experience more mobility, independence and quality of life thanks to a properly fitted prosthesis. At the Amputee Care Center (ACC), we work with you and your doctor to see if a prosthesis is feasible, safe and useful in your situation.

A prosthesis can also be useful at an older age or with limited mobility, but not always. At the Amputee Care Center (ACC), we look together at what type of prosthesis suits your health, energy level and goals. Sometimes a wheelchair and a solid transfer prosthesis is safer and more comfortable. Our team provides clear explanations so that you and your family can make a choice that is realistic and fits your life.

The team at Amputee Care Center, together with your doctor and nurse at the hospital, follow you closely in the first days after your operation. For example, we pay attention to wound healing and infection prevention. We also tell you more about how best to take care of the wound yourself. We help the nursing team with compression therapy for proper healing (and shape) of the stump. If anything does go wrong, we always link up directly with your doctor or nurse.

For many people, the answer is: yes, for the most part. Thanks to modern techniques and good support, you can often actively participate in daily life again, working, playing sports and doing social activities. We tailor everything to your goals. However, it is important to set realistic goals and be motivated. In our experience, for many amputees, a good prosthesis really does enhance their quality of life.

We can make certain prostheses at the Amputee Care Center as early as one day, but it can also take 6 to 12 weeks after amputation before you are ready for a final prosthesis. Faster deliveries are possible for simple custom-made prostheses, while custom-made myo-electric or bionic prostheses take more time, as making specific (sometimes high-tech) parts affect the process.

The time needed to get a prosthesis depends on several factors, such as the healing of your stump after amputation, your rehabilitation, the type of prosthesis and whether it is a first prosthesis or a renewal.

Here is a general overview of the 5-step process at the Amputee Care Center in Genk, Belgium.

1. First introductory consultation: First (free) consultation: Discussion of your needs, wishes and possibilities with a specialised prosthesis technician and patient coordinator.
2. Fitting and preparation (1-3 weeks): We take a plaster cast or 3D scan of your residual limb size. This is necessary for making an accurate fit of the socket.
3. Trial prosthesis and fitting phase (2-6 weeks): We make a provisional prosthesis or trial version to test the fit and functionality of your new prosthesis. If necessary, adjustments are made to your fitting prosthesis for better fit and comfort. 
   We can also exactly recreate the socket of your old prosthesis. Only when your prosthesis fits well, and you are happy with it, do we make a final prosthesis.
4. Final prosthesis (4-12 weeks): Depending on the type of prosthesis (passive, mechanical, active, dynamic, myo-electric or bionic), the custom-made production, and the ordering and delivery of specific parts, takes several weeks.
5. Lifelong support: You will receive explanations to make the best use of your new prosthesis. We accompany you (or your child) with total care and we see you at least every year for maintenance, calibration and fine-tuning of your prosthesis.

Comfort depends on the fit and weight of your prosthesis. This is why we pay great attention to material selection. 3D scanning and 3D printing of trial prostheses helps us create the perfect fit for you.  Most users wear their prosthesis, in the beginning, for a few hours a day and slowly build it up.

At Amputee Care Center, we have a structured procedure to ensure you get the best prosthetic solution in the end.

• Introductory meeting: We always start with a free, no-obligation consultation in which we discuss your situation and needs. We look at your amputation level, medical history and the activities you want to perform with your prosthesis. An introductory meeting often takes place before amputation surgery takes place. We call this the pre-operative introductory meeting. 
  Already have a prosthesis? Of course, you can also come to us for a free second opinion consultation for personal advice.
• Selection of prostheses: Based on your needs and wishes, together we select a number of prosthetic components for you to test. These can be different prosthetic feet and knees, but also advanced arm prostheses with electronic control.
• Test phase: You get the chance to make a test socket or trial prosthesis and try out several prosthetic parts. You experience how the trial prosthesis feels, how smooth the movements are and whether the prosthesis suits your daily activities. We often make a 3D scan of the stump to then use 3D printing to customise a prosthetic socket that fits your body perfectly. Sometimes minor adjustments are needed after this to optimise the fit and functionalities.
  The ACC team will guide you throughout the process and advise you on the pros and cons of each option.
• Calibration and fine-tuning: Once you have made a choice for a particular prosthesis, we make sure it is perfectly adjusted to your body.
• Final prosthesis: After the fitting or testing phase, we make the final prosthesis.
• Long-term support: At Amputee Care Center, our care does not stop after you have a final prosthesis made by us. We offer you long-term guidance and support to ensure you remain comfortable and can use the prosthesis to its full potential.
• Free annual maintenance: We recommend that you have your prosthesis checked and maintained by us annually. Annual maintenance of your prosthesis is free in most cases at the ACC.

Any prosthesis wearer can visit us in a low-threshold manner. We do our best to keep our waiting lists as small as possible.

You choose a brand-independent prosthetic centre with an experienced team of prosthetists and prosthetists, each experienced in their speciality for making arm prostheses, leg prostheses or paediatric (children's) prostheses. The Amputee Care Center is a “Focus” business unit of Spronken, one of the largest orthopaedic companies in the BeNeLux. The Spronken company has been a partner of most leading hospitals and rehabilitation centres in Belgium and the Netherlands for more than 60 years with its own measurement laboratory, gang lab, central workshop-prosthetics shop and more than 200 fitting locations.

At Amputee Care Center, we believe that choosing the right prosthesis (and brand of prosthetic components) requires expert analysis and expertise. The Amputee Care Center is a centre of excellence and a brand-independent prosthesis maker. Our main objective is to make the right prosthesis for you, to improve your quality of life and see you go out with a smile again. We would like your amputation not to feel like a limitation, but rather your prosthesis to be an enhancement. Choosing the right prosthetic components is key to this. With more than 60 years of experience in our family-owned orthopaedic business with 135 employees, we can perfectly assess what suits your needs and requirements.

Yes, we are happy to visit your rehabilitation centre! The Amputee Care Center is a recognised supplier and works closely with doctor-specialists and therapists in Belgium and the Netherlands. Upon request, we can visit you to measure a prosthesis, make adjustments or test prosthetic options. Thus, together with your treatment team, we ensure the best solution that suits you perfectly. Contact us to schedule an appointment and find out how we can support in the rehabilitation process!

Yes, the Amputee Care Center team offers the option of coming to your home to have a new prosthesis fitted. After you have received a prescription - for a new prosthesis - from your doctor-specialist, contact us. We will then contact your mutual health organisation or insurer and apply for reimbursement. Thanks to our mobile workshop, our specialists can come to your home for fitting and adjustment of prostheses, so that you can be helped in your own familiar surroundings. We work closely with doctor-specialists and therapists in both Belgium and the Netherlands to create a new arm or leg prosthesis that perfectly suits your needs.

A prosthetist designs and makes prostheses for people with leg or arm amputations to improve their mobility. It is a paramedical profession. In Belgium and the Netherlands, this healthcare professional is also called an orthopaedic technologist, prosthesis maker, orthopaedic instrument maker, orthopaedic consultant or bandage maker. They are recognised through SEMH (Netherlands) or RIZIV (Belgium). Prosthesis makers bandagists, orthopaedists or orthopaedic technologists, usually work in specialised orthopaedic companies, such as the Amputee Care Center by Spronken, working closely with the patient's rehabilitation doctor and physiotherapist.

At a reputable prosthetic centre, such as the Amputee Care Center, you, as a prosthetic wearer, can have a low-threshold consultation consultation and measurement analysis. Advice is usually free and without obligation. Then, better informed, you can choose a new prosthesis together with your doctor.

You will need the medical prescription for reimbursement or compensation from your insurance or health insurance fund. Then you can simply have your new arm or leg prosthesis made by us and we will take care of the application for approval by your health insurance company.  
We advise our clients to register with us two to three months before the renewal.

Choosing an arm or leg prosthesis depends on several factors, such as your activities, your lifestyle and your amputation level. 
Your rehabilitation doctor or amputation surgeon will advise which type of prosthesis is most suitable for you. You will then receive a medical prescription (prescription) to have a custom-made arm prosthesis or leg prosthesis measured by a prosthetist-typist. You need this medical prescription for intervention or reimbursement from your insurance or health insurance fund.

Yes, a prosthetist t from the Amputee Care Center can come to your rehabilitation centre or hospital at the request of your doctor, for consultation with your surgeon or rehabilitation doctor.

The larger orthopaedic companies, specialised prosthetists, such as the Amputee Care Center, work nationwide with most hospitals and rehabilitation centres and will come on site for fitting, adjusting and fine-tuning your arm or leg prosthesis. Together, they will create a plan for the right prosthesis, the right guidance and the right rehabilitation in your area.