Submitted by: Clark W. Pinyan, MD, MPH
Edited by: Hristelina Ilieva, MD, PhD
Petrini F, et al.
Six-month assessment of a hand prosthesis with intraneural tactile feedback. Annals of Neurology 85(1): 137-154 https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.25384
Summary: Three trans-radial amputees received implants of transverse, intra-fascicular, multichannel electrodes (TIME) in residual median and ulnar nerves. Electrodes were attached to sensors in the digits of a prosthesis to generate sensory feedback while performing different grasping tasks. All subjects reported stimulation-induced sensations from the phantom hand for the whole duration of the trial. They also successfully integrated the sensory feedback into their motor control strategies while performing experimental tests simulating tasks of real life. Finally, they reported a decrement of their phantom limb pain and a general improvement in mood state.
Comment: Sensory feedback devices are becoming more stable and functional with chronic implantation. This is yet another step in the development of truly integrated prosthetic devices.