2023-10-12 15:26:45
An international team of researchers has developed a bionic hand, a prosthesis connected to the bones and nerves of the arm. It allows much finer control of the fingers, and a first patient has already been using it daily for three years.
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Prosthetics, like those of the hands, have a large number of defects. Movements are generally very limited, and they are fixed by compressing the stump, generating pain. A group of Swedish, Australian and Italian researchers have developed a new technique for attaching a prosthesis, thus creating a real bionic hand. They detailed their research in the journal Science Robotics.
It’s been three years since the first patient, a Swedish woman named Karin, received her bionic hand. It is still perfectly functional, despite daily use. She said that previously, the phantom pains made her feel like her hand was constantly stuck in a meat grinder, requiring her to take a lot of medication. In addition to allowing him to perform 80% of daily activities, the new prosthesis has greatly reduced his pain.
Presentation of how the prosthesis and implants work in the stump. © Center for Bionics and Pain Research
Muscle grafts and osseointegration
The prosthesis is connected to the arm using a procedure called osseointegration, in other words two titanium rods are directly integrated into the radius and ulna (ulna) bones. The researchers then used muscle grafts taken from the patient’s thigh to receive the severed nerves and amplify the signal. Electrodes are implanted in these grafted muscles and in some of the muscles already present nearby. These are used to transmit the signals that control the prosthesis as well as sensory feedback.
The prosthesis in question is the “Mia Hand”, manufactured by the Italian company Prensilia. It is connected to the electrodes using wires passing through the center of the titanium rods, allowing two-way communication. This makes it very easy to put on and take off the prosthesis by simply attaching it to the two rods. According to the patient, the prosthesis has greatly improved her quality of life. “ For me, this research means a lot, because it allowed me to have a better life », indicated Karin.
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