Prosthetic News and Research

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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.

Novel stimulation method sparks hope for Parkinson's disease sufferers

A novel stimulation method, the first potential therapy to target the spinal cord instead of the brain, may offer an effective and less invasive approach for Parkinson's disease treatment, according to pre-clinical data published in the journal Science by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

20 Mar 2009

A silicone ear

To look at Matthew Houdek, you could never tell he was born with virtually no left ear.

17 Mar 2009

FDA clears new immune response claim for CryoValve SG pulmonary human heart valve

CryoLife, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a new claim for the CryoValve(R) SG pulmonary human heart valve.

18 Feb 2009

Targeted muscle reinnervation shows promise for improving function of artificial arms

A surgical technique known as targeted muscle reinnervation appears to enable patients with arm amputations to have improved control of functions with an artificial arm, according to a study in the February 11 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

10 Feb 2009

New heart valve inserted through small chest incision

When 91-year-old Irvin Lafferty was diagnosed with severe blockage of his heart valve-hardening that is formally known as aortic valve stenosis-open-heart surgery was out of the question.

10 Feb 2009

Researchers create model to calculate bone density and elasticity with CT scan images

Artificial hip joints are firmly anchored to the patient's damaged bone by screws. But which parts of the bone will safely hold the screws in place? A simulation model is to calculate the strength of the bone from computer tomography images.

27 Jan 2009

Amputees can experience prosthetic hand as their own

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Lund University in Sweden have succeeded in inducing people with an amputated arm to experience a prosthetic rubber hand as belonging to their own body.

12 Dec 2008

Spinal stapling - new treatment alternative for scoliosis

Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is one of only a few hospitals in the country to offer spinal stapling, a new treatment alternative for young people with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that is painful and can restrict breathing.

3 Dec 2008

New stapling treatment may help reverse scoliosis

1 Dec 2008

Nanomatrix stent coating designed to mimic natural endothelium

A nanomatrix for stent coating designed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) mimics natural endothelium, the substance that lines blood vessels, and promises the potential to prevent post-operative tissue scaring along the blood vessel wall, greatly reducing the possibility of future thrombosis, or blockage at the stent site.

11 Nov 2008

Neuroprosthetic brain implants may help stroke patients overcome partial paralysis

Scientists have shown for the first time that neuroprosthetic brain implants may be able to help stroke patients with partial paralysis.

11 Nov 2008

Smart Disc successfully tests artificial spinal disc technology

Smart Disc, Inc. announced today that it has conducted a cadaver test utilizing its unique artificial spinal disc technology and that the test was deemed a success by the surgeons involved.

14 Oct 2008

President Bush signs legislation to expand protections under Americans with disabilities act

President Bush on Thursday signed legislation that expands protections under the Americans with Disability Act, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (AP/Kansas City Star, 9/25).

29 Sep 2008

Congress approves legislation that would expand Americans with Disabilities Act

The House on Wednesday gave final approval to Senate legislation (S 3406) expanding the definition of disability for people claiming discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Times reports.

22 Sep 2008

Carbon nanotube coating improves electrical stimulation therapy used for Parkinson's, depression, chronic pain

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have designed a way to improve electrical stimulation of nerves by outfitting electrodes with the latest in chemically engineered fashion: a coating of basic black, formed from carbon nanotubes.

16 Sep 2008

Senate approves bill to expand protections under Americans with disabilities act

The Senate on Thursday by voice vote approved a bill (S 3406) that would expand protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act, CongressDaily reports.

15 Sep 2008

Smart Disc issued patent for artificial spinal disc technology

Smart Disc, Inc., a Michigan-based medical technology company focused on the development of new and innovative spine products, announced today that it has been awarded Patent US 7,407,513 B2 for Smart Disc’s unique artificial spinal disc technology.

11 Sep 2008

New evidence shows how gastric bypass reverses diabetes symptoms

A report in the September Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press, offers new evidence to explain why those who undergo gastric bypass surgery often show greater control of their diabetes symptoms within days. It also helps to explain why lap-band surgery doesn't offer the same instant gratification.

3 Sep 2008

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement - a new frontier in cardiovascular medicine

Replacing heart valves without the substantial trauma of opening the chest and the heart were little known concepts until the groundbreaking pulmonary and aortic transcatheter valve replacements performed during 2000 and 2002, respectively by Philipp Bonhoeffer and Alain Cribier.

1 Sep 2008

Transapical aortic valve implantation

Transapical aortic valve implantation (TA-AVI) is a new therapeutic strategy, which has been implemented successfully into clinical practice in several hundred patients suffering symptomatic aortic stenosis and an increase perioperative risk during the past two years. The Edwards SAPIEN prosthesis has been used.