The first-ever operation to permanently attach electrodes to nerves and muscles has allowed an amputee to control an arm prosthesis more easily, in a similar fashion to a natural limb.
Traditional technology for artificial limbs offer very limited functionality for patients, as electrodes are normally placed over the skin to sense electrical activity from muscles. The new method of permanently implanting the electrodes allows more signals to be transferred and received from the patient’s muscles, and thus give improved control over the limb.
The technology for this prosthetic implantation was developed by Max Ortiz Catalan, and supervised by Rickard Brånemark at Sahlgrenska University Hospital and Bo Håkansson at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. Rickard Brånemark also led the surgical team that performed the operation.
The prosthesis itself is anchored by a titanium screw on the stump and is known as an osseointegrated implant. This offers higher degrees of motion, fewer skin-related disorders, and a more natural feeling for the patient compared to the sockets that conventional prostheses use.
Rickard Brånemark explains, “We believe that implanted electrodes, together with a long-term stable human-machine interface provided by the osseointegrated implant, is a breakthrough that will pave the way for a new era in limb replacement.”
Brånemark remarks that the next step will be to test the electrical stimulation of nerves, such that the patient may get artificial sensation — namely, a sense of touch.
With files from ScienceDaily
