Cutting Edge Bionics in Highly Impaired Individuals: A Case of Challenges and Opportunities
Journal article, 2024

Highly impaired individuals stand to benefit greatly from cutting-edge bionic technology, however concurrent functional deficits may complicate the adaptation of such technology. Here, we present a case in which a visually impaired individual with bilateral burn injury amputation was provided with a novel transradial neuromusculoskeletal prosthesis comprising skeletal attachment via osseointegration and implanted electrodes in nerves and muscles for control and sensory feedback. Difficulties maintaining implant hygiene and donning and doffing the prosthesis arose due to his contralateral amputation, ipsilateral eye loss, and contralateral impaired vision necessitating continuous adaptations to the electromechanical interface. Despite these setbacks, the participant still demonstrated improvements in functional outcomes and the ability to control the prosthesis in various limb positions using the implanted electrodes. Our results demonstrate the importance of a multidisciplinary, iterative, and patient-centered approach to making cutting-edge technology accessible to patients with high levels of impairment.

burn injury

prosthetic hand

neural interfaces

Bilateral impairment

osseointegration

Author

Eric Earley

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Colorado School of Public Health

Jan Zbinden

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Maria Munoz-Novoa

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Fabian Just

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Christiana Vasan

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Axel Sjogren Holtz

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSUP)

Mona Emadeldin

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSUP)

Justyna Kolankowska

Wellspect Healthcare

Integrum AB

Bjorn Davidsson

Integrum AB

Alexander Thesleff

Integrum AB

Jason Millenaar

Corporis Medical

Integrum AB

Stewe Jönsson

TeamOlmed

Christian Cipriani

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSUP)

Hannes Granberg

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Paolo Sassu

IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna

Rickard Brånemark

Integrum AB

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Max Jair Ortiz Catalan

Bionics Institute

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Systems and control

Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSUP)

University of Melbourne

IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering

1534-4320 (ISSN) 1558-0210 (eISSN)

Vol. 32 1013-1022

Subject Categories

Neurosciences

Orthopedics

DOI

10.1109/TNSRE.2024.3366530

PubMed

38363669

More information

Latest update

3/20/2024