Patients control hand prosthesis through thoughts

„Bionic hand prosthesis“ allows return to normal life

02/25/2015

Thanks to a novel procedure, three patients operated on in Austria can now control their hand prostheses solely through their own thoughts. This report scientists of the Medical University of Vienna currently in the journal „The Lancet“. Accordingly, it had succeeded, a so-called „bionic hand prosthesis“ thanks to which the men could now do their own normal everyday tasks again.

Arm nerves destroyed by accidents
As the researchers write, was among the men affected by motorcycle and climbing accidents the so-called „Armnervengeflecht“ (Brachial plexus), which is responsible for controlling arm and hand function. As a result, they could not move their hands for years and decided on an amputation and the subsequent replacement with a hand prosthesis. However, in preparation, patients first had to learn for months to use their brains to control the neural signals that were supposed to take over the control of the artificial hands.

Formation of a „interactive interface between the human and the artificial hand“ Subsequently, the non-functional hands were removed and replaced with prostheses, which was dispensed with the otherwise usual use of electrodes for controlling the prostheses. Instead, the researchers led by Oskar Aszmann of the Medical University of Vienna had a so-called „bionic reconstruction“ performed in which muscle tissue from the thighs of men and nerves from other parts of the body than „signal amplifier“ was transplanted into the arms. This succeeded, a kind „interactive interface between the human and the artificial hand“ Oskar Aszmann from the Medical University of Vienna reports to the news agency „dpa“.

Less pain from the bionic reconstruction
As a result, it was the men again possible to take over everyday things in life such as buttoning shirts themselves, also also hardly pain would be felt, reports Aszmann. „Those affected often experience severe phantom pain. These disappear through the bionic reconstruction, as the phantom is replaced by the recovered functionality of the hand“, Aszmann continues opposite the „dpa“. As a result, the procedure represents a new opportunity for those affected to be able to largely return to everyday life even after losing their own hands: „In patients with extensive brachial plexus injuries, with fewer root breaks, for which there is no alternative treatment, bionic reconstruction provides a means of restoring hand function“, so the conclusion of the researchers in „The Lancet“. (No)