prosthetic limbs

BACKGROUND: Lower limb amputation does not affect only physical and psychological functioning but the use of a prosthetic device can also lead to increased cognitive demands. Measuring cognitive load objectively is challenging, and therefore, most studies use questionnaires that are easy to apply but can suffer from subjective bias. Motivated by this, the present study investigated whether a mobile eye tracker can be used to objectively measure cognitive load by monitoring gaze behavior during a set of motor tasks...

BACKGROUND: Debates persist over optimal pelvic girdle reconstruction after acetabular tumor resection, with surgeons grappling between modular and 3D-printed hemipelvic endoprostheses. We hypothesize superior outcomes with 3D-printed versions, yet scarce comparative research exists. This study fills the gap, examining biomechanics and clinical results retrospectively. METHODS: From February 2017 to June 2021, we retrospectively assessed 32 patients undergoing en bloc resection for malignant periacetabular tumors at a single institution...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 5-year real-world results of Supera stent implantation in below the knee prosthetic bypasses (BKPBs). All the procedures were performed because of a history of recurrent thrombosis of the graft and significant stenotic kinking of the prosthesis during knee flexion. A Supera stent was implanted to prevent the next potential BKPB thrombosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients were included in this single-center, retrospective observational cohort study...

Wound healing is crucial for survival, prevention of infection, and restoration of tissue function. The immune system drives this process with 3 main phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Keloids and hypertrophic scars reveal disruptions in these phases, underscoring the balance needed for healing. Limb amputation, a life-changing event, demands careful consideration for healing and function. Factors such as amputation level, surgical technique, and prosthetic fitting shape outcomes, while complications such as heterotopic ossification challenge recovery...

Acute nontraumatic joint pain has an extensive differential. Emergency physicians must be adept at identifying limb and potentially life-threatening infection. Chief among these is septic arthritis. In addition to knowing how these joint infections typically present, clinicians need to be aware of host and pathogen factors that can lead to more insidious presentations and how these factors impact the interpretation of diagnostic tests.

INTRODUCTION: The intact foot and ankle comprise a complex set of joints that allow rotation in multiple planes of motion. Some of these motions are coupled, meaning rotation in one plane induces motion in another. One such coupling is between the sagittal and transverse planes. For every step, plantar- and dorsi-flexion motion is coupled with external and internal rotation of the shank relative to the foot, respectively. There is no prosthetic foot available for prescription that mimics this natural coupling...

BACKGROUND: Myoelectric prostheses have become the accepted standard of care for pediatric upper-limb amputees. OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical characteristics and patterns of prosthesis use and to analyze the changes that occur during the growth process of these patients. STUDY DESIGN: This is a longitudinal retrospective study comparing the results of surveys carried out in 2015 and 2022. METHODS: The variables measured included clinical and demographic characteristics, patterns of use, and satisfaction with the prosthesis...

INTRODUCTION: Despite recent technological advances that have led to sophisticated bionic prostheses, attaining embodied solutions still remains a challenge. Recently, the investigation of prosthetic embodiment has become a topic of interest in the research community, which deals with enhancing the perception of artificial limbs as part of users' own body. Surface electromyography (sEMG) interfaces have emerged as a promising technology for enhancing upper-limb prosthetic control. However, little is known about the impact of these sEMG interfaces on users' experience regarding embodiment and their interaction with different functional levels...

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, the manufacture of prostheses is time-consuming and labor-intensive. One possible route to improving access and quality of these devices is the digitalizing of the fabrication process, which may reduce the burden of manual labor and bring the potential for automation that could help unblock access to assistive technologies globally. OBJECTIVES: To identify where there are gaps in the literature that are creating barriers to decision-making on either appropriate uptake by clinical teams or on the needed next steps in research that mean these technologies can continue on a pathway to maturity...

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic benefits of motor imagery (MI) are now well-established in different populations of persons suffering from central nervous system impairments. However, research on similar efficacy of MI interventions after amputation remains scarce, and experimental studies were primarily designed to explore the effects of MI after upper-limb amputations. OBJECTIVES: The present comparative study therefore aimed to assess the effects of MI on locomotion recovery following unilateral lower-limb amputation...

BACKGROUND: Transmission of loads between the prosthetic socket and the residual limb is critical for the comfort and walking ability of people with transfemoral amputation. This transmission is mainly determined by the socket tightening, muscle forces, and socket ischial support. However, numerical investigations of the amputated gait, using modeling approaches such as MusculoSkeletal (MSK) modeling, ignore the weight-bearing role of the ischial support. This simplification may lead to errors in the muscle force estimation...

BACKGROUND: With the in-depth development of assistive treatment devices, the application of artificial knee joints in the rehabilitation of amputees is becoming increasingly mature. The length of residual limbs and muscle strength of patients have individual differences, and the current artificial knee joint lacks certain adaptability in the personalized rehabilitation of patients. PURPOSE: In order to deeply analyze the impact of different types of artificial knee joints on the walking function of unilateral thigh amputees, improve the performance of artificial knee joints, and enhance the rehabilitation effect of patients, this article combines image processing technology to conduct in-depth research on the walking gait analysis of different artificial knee joints of unilateral thigh amputees...

The aim of this work was to assess the accuracy, repeatability, and reproducibility of a hand-held, structured-light 3D scanner (EINScan Pro 2X Plus with High Definition Prime Pack, SHINING 3D Tech. Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China), to support its potential use in multi-site settings on lower limb prosthetics. Four limb models with different shapes were fabricated and scanned with a metrological 3D scanner (EINScan Laser FreeScan 5X, SHINING 3D Tech. Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China) by a professional operator (OP0). Limb models were then mailed to three sites where two operators (OP1, OP2) scanned them using their own structured-light 3D scanner (same model)...

Periacetabular defects following tumor resection present formidable challenges in reconstruction and continue to pose clinical difficulties. Historically, treatment approaches leaned towards hindquarter amputation; however, due to associated morbidities and functional limitations, limb-sparing procedures gained prominence in the 1980s. Nevertheless, the intricacies of pelvic anatomy and the imperative of achieving wide surgical margins while preserving essential structures make pelvic tumor resection and subsequent reconstruction inherently complex...

OBJECTIVE: Clinical outcomes after major lower limb amputation have been historically poor. The current care provided to most amputees is often disorganized and without physician supervision. The primary purpose of this study is to examine rates of post-amputation mobility achieved with a prosthesis by patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and/or diabetes who required major lower limb amputation and were treated under an established physician-led collaborative care pathway...

INTRODUCTION: Composite running-specific prostheses (RSP) are widely used by athletes with lower limb amputations to simulate the spring-like behavior of biological legs. However, the effect of these devices on the biomechanics of athletes with transtibial amputations remains uncertain. MODELING METHOD DESCRIPTION: To address this issue, this study proposes a time-dependent finite element model that uses angles and dynamic loads during ground contact to evaluate RSP performance parameters such as stiffness and energy efficiency...

Significant advances in bionic prosthetics have occurred in the past two decades. The field's rapid expansion has yielded many exciting technologies that can enhance the physical, functional, and cognitive integration of a prosthetic limb with a human. We review advances in the engineering of prosthetic devices and their interfaces with the human nervous system, as well as various surgical techniques for altering human neuromusculoskeletal systems for seamless human-prosthesis integration. We discuss significant advancements in research and clinical translation, focusing on upper limb prosthetics since they heavily rely on user intent for daily operation, although many discussed technologies have been extended to lower limb prostheses as well...

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to elucidate the methodology and assess the efficacy of the aortic arch inclusion technique using an artificial blood vessel in managing acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 18 patients (11 males and 7 females, average age: 56.2 ± 8.6 years) diagnosed with ATAAD who underwent total aortic arch replacement (TAAR) using an artificial vascular "inclusion" between June 2020 and October 2022...

INTRODUCTION: Similar to the management of periprosthetic joint infections of the lower limb, one-stage revision in total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) infections is an option that has been highlighted in scientific publications since the early 2010s. However, there are only a few studies which validate this treatment and determine its scope of application in relation to two-stage treatment. HYPOTHESIS: Single stage revision for infected TSA is a reliable treatment allowing good infection control and satisfactory functional results...

OBJECTIVES: This is a narrative review that aims to highlight key advancements which led to the current state of lower extremity bypass surgery. It focuses on key contributors during the last century who have driven the standardization of surgical treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. METHODS: A narrative review was conducted utilizing available resources in the scientific and historical literature to track landmark achievements in the development of modern lower extremity bypass surgery for occlusive disease, focusing primarily on the last century of advancement...