Prosthetic News and Research

RSS

Prosthetic (Prosthesis) devices, such as an artificial leg, that replace a part of the body. Prostheses are typically used to replace parts lost by injury (traumatic) or missing from birth (congenital) or to supplement defective body parts. Inside the body, artificial heart valves are in common use with artificial hearts and lungs seeing less common use but under active technology development. Other medical devices and aids that can be considered prosthetics include artificial eyes, palatal obturator, gastric bands, and dentures.

The brain remembers missing hands and fingers even decades after amputation, study reveals

Our brains have a detailed picture of our hands and fingers, and that persists even decades after an amputation, Oxford University researchers have found. The finding could have implications for the control of next generation prosthetics.

30 Aug 2016

Alcohol-related hospitalisation linked to increased risk of ischaemic stroke in atrial fibrillation patients

Alcohol related hospitalisation is associated with a doubled risk of ischaemic stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, according to a study presented at ESC Congress 2016 today by Dr Faris Al-Khalili, cardiologist, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

28 Aug 2016

Research opens way towards making promising advances in retinal prostheses

A major therapeutic challenge, the retinal prostheses that have been under development during the past ten years can enable some blind subjects to perceive light signals, but the image thus restored is still far from being clear.

25 Aug 2016

Scientists unlock genetic code controlling limb regeneration

Many lower organisms retain the miraculous ability to regenerate form and function of almost any tissue after injury. Humans share many of our genes with these organisms, but our capacity for regeneration is limited.

5 Aug 2016

AOFAS volunteers travel to Vietnam for treating people with lower extremity deformities

Volunteers from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society returned to Vietnam this year to provide corrective surgery for children and adults with lower extremity deformities and disabilities.

30 Jul 2016

Researchers develop new approach to manufacturing mechanical metamaterials

Ill-fitting joint sockets, contact dermatitis and sebaceous cysts are just a few of the problems plaguing prosthetic patients. They are all a result of the pressure that their prosthetic devices place on the soft tissue of their bodies.

29 Jul 2016

SAPIEN 3 trans-catheter aortic valve replacement system improves survival in patients with aortic stenosis

Overall one-year survival was over 85 percent for high-risk or inoperable patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with the SAPIEN 3 trans-catheter aortic valve replacement system, according to a study published in the July 12 issue of the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

29 Jul 2016

Scientists develop new way to resurface arthritic hip joint

With a goal of treating worn, arthritic hips without extensive surgery to replace them, scientists have programmed stem cells to grow new cartilage on a 3-D template shaped like the ball of a hip joint.

19 Jul 2016

World’s most intelligent prosthetic limb? An interview with Professor Saeed Zahedi

The main challenges for lower limb amputees are safety and pain. Lack of sensory feedback leading to an increased risk of falling, compensatory movements due to instability causing lower back pain and discomfort between the residual limb and prosthesis all contribute to a significant reduction in confidence and an inability to live a full life.

7 Jul 2016

Novel robotic rectum may help clinicians detect prostate cancer

A robotic rectum may help doctors and nurses detect prostate cancer. The technology, which consists of prosthetic buttocks and rectum with in-built robotic technology, has been developed by scientists at Imperial College London.

4 Jul 2016

Scientists develop suitable test prosthetics for cyclists

Disabled cyclists will be among those competing at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in September 2016. Ensuring top performance calls for prosthetics of superior design, but tailoring them to handle the combination of movements cyclists make has always been a problem.

4 Jul 2016

TPU scientists develop robotic arm prototype controlled by algorithm using myoelectric signals

Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University are developing a robotic arm prototype and its control algorithm using myoelectric signals. The mechanical limb will independently recognize the motions of its owner and be able to perform all the same motions like a healthy arm.

22 Jun 2016

Unlocking the first gene to cause otosclerosis: an interview with Dr Ralph Holme

Otosclerosis is a common cause of hearing loss, particularly amongst young adults. It normally starts in their 20s or 30s and it affects about 1 in 200 hundred people. In the UK, about 300,000 people are affected by the condition.

7 Jun 2016

New osseointegrated press-fit implant reduces infection risk for above knee amputees

A new study in today's issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found minimal risk for severe infection with osseointegrated implants--a newer prosthetic system, press-fitted directly into the femur bone--that enables bone growth over a metal, robotic prosthetic limb in patients with above knee amputations.

2 Jun 2016

Natural proteins could be used to test new replacement hip, knee joints

A new study suggests that natural proteins can be used to effectively test new replacement hip and knee joints in the laboratory. The work could help with improving design in order to reduce wear and tear and increase the lifespan of such prosthetics.

20 May 2016

New discovery on brain plasticity could help develop biomarkers for SSD treatment

A new discovery could help people suffering with single-sided deafness (SSD) find a treatment quicker - and could potentially lead to a cure.

12 May 2016

SFU scientists aim to develop new control system for most advanced bionic hands

A Canadian athlete's dream to one day "move" his fingers again after losing an arm in a workplace accident is now within grasp, thanks to a robotic arm prosthesis being developed at Simon Fraser University.

5 May 2016

Coloplast issued patents for new grey SenSura Mio stoma bag

Medical devices company Coloplast has been granted patents for the colour of its new grey SenSura Mio stoma bag which makes it almost invisible under white clothing.

13 Apr 2016

World-leading artificial limb maker, Touch Bionics, acquired by Össur

Livingston-based Touch Bionics, the developer and manufacturer of world-leading upper limb prosthetic technologies, has been sold by its shareholders – including Archangel Investors, Scottish Investment Bank and management – to Össur Hf, the Iceland-based provider of prosthetic, bracing and supports solutions, for a consideration of £27.5 million on a cash and debt free basis.

12 Apr 2016

Orthopedic wear and mechanical testing webinar to be hosted by Lucideon

Lucideon, the international materials technology company, together with Knight Mechanical Testing, is hosting a webinar entitled ‘Wear and Mechanical Testing of Hips and Knees - What the Standards Don’t Tell You’ on the 28th April at 3PM (UK time) 10AM (EST).

From Lucideon 8 Apr 2016