COURTESY OF THE RESEARCHERS
In the new study, the researchers developed a procedure to insert a titanium rod into the residual femur bone of people who had amputations above the knee. This implant allows for better mechanical control and load bearing than a traditional prosthesis. It also contains 16 wires that collect information from electrodes located on the AMI muscles inside the body, offering better neuroprosthetic control.
Two people who received the implant in a clinical study performed better on several types of tasks, including stair climbing, and reported that the limb felt more like a part of their own body, compared with people who had more traditional above-the-knee amputations and used conventional prostheses.
“A prosthesis that’s tissue-integrated—anchored to the bone and directly controlled by the nervous system—is not merely a lifeless, separate device,” says Herr, but rather “an integral part of self.” The system will need larger trials to receive FDA approval for commercial use, which he expects may take about five years.
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