Advanced upper limb prosthetic devices: implications for upper limb prosthetic rehabilitation

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Prosthetics Engineering
• Military Health

Background:

• Increased attention on upper limb amputation due to improvised explosive device injuries in recent wars.
• Development of advanced prosthetic arm systems aims to enhance independence and function for amputees.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is actively involved in optimizing these advanced prosthetic technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine current prosthetic rehabilitation practices, including device adoption, financial aspects, and rehabilitation team roles.
• Evaluate challenges in adopting advanced prosthetic technology based on experiences with a prototype.
• Provide recommendations for service provision and use of advanced upper limb prosthetics.

Main Methods:

• Review of current practices in prosthetic rehabilitation.
• Analysis of experiences with a prototype advanced upper limb prosthesis during a VA study.
• Discussion of challenges and recommendations for advanced prosthetic technology implementation.

Main Results:

• High rates of prosthetic rejection exist among upper limb amputees.
• Sufficient training by specialized, multidisciplinary teams can potentially reduce rejection rates.
• Patient education and empowerment are crucial throughout the rehabilitation process.

Conclusions:

• Implementing advanced upper limb prosthetic technology presents unique challenges.
• There is a lack of established clinical guidelines for prosthetic prescription and treatment.
• Future research is recommended to identify best practices and inform policy decisions on insurance coverage for prosthetic rehabilitation.