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The i-LIMB hand and the DMC plus hand compared: a case report.
Olga Van Der Niet Otr1, Heleen A Reinders-Messelink, Raoul M Bongers
1Department of Rehabilitation, University Medical Center Groningen, 9700 RB Netherlands. o.van.der.niet@rev.umcg.nl
Prosthetics and Orthotics International
|May 18, 2010
Summary
The novel i-LIMB hand offers comparable or lower functionality than the conventional DMC plus hand for upper limb prosthesis users. While more reliable for object holding, it lacks power and robustness.
Area of Science:
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- The i-LIMB hand represents a novel advancement in upper limb myoelectric prosthetics, featuring multi-jointed fingers and thumb.
- Conventional myoelectric hands, such as the Dynamic Mode Control plus (DMC plus) hand, typically have simpler joint configurations.
Observation:
- A comparative study evaluated the i-LIMB hand against the DMC plus hand in a single patient with wrist disarticulation.
- Functional assessments were conducted across all levels defined by the International Classification of Function (ICF).
Findings:
- Functional outcomes for the i-LIMB hand were observed to be equal to or lower than those of the DMC plus hand.
- The i-LIMB demonstrated improved reliability in object holding tasks but exhibited deficiencies in power and robustness.
- Patient satisfaction leaned towards the i-LIMB, despite functional limitations.
Implications:
- The i-LIMB hand provides limited additional functional benefits over conventional myoelectric prostheses like the DMC plus hand.
- Further research and development are needed to enhance the power and robustness of multi-jointed prosthetic hands.
- Clinical considerations should weigh patient satisfaction against functional performance and device reliability.
