Elective amputation and bionic substitution restore functional hand use after critical soft tissue injuries
Oskar C Aszmann1,2, Ivan Vujaklija3, Aidan D Roche2
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Scientific Reports
|October 11, 2016
Summary
For critical soft tissue hand injuries, elective amputation with bionic substitution offers a viable solution when reconstruction fails. This approach, combined with neuro-rehabilitation, restores functional hand use.
Area of Science:
- Reconstructive Surgery
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neurorehabilitation
Background:
- Standard reconstructive techniques are insufficient for critical soft tissue hand injuries, often resulting in non-functional limbs.
- Exploring alternative solutions beyond biological reconstruction is essential for patients with severe hand trauma.
Observation:
- Three patients with mutilating hand injuries underwent elective amputation and bionic hand substitution.
- A structured tech-neuro-rehabilitation program was implemented post-procedure.
- Advanced prosthetic control allowing proportional and simultaneous wrist/hand movements was demonstrated in one patient.
Findings:
- The proposed concept of amputation and bionic substitution successfully restored functional hand use in all three patients.
- Clinical and psychometric evaluations confirmed significant benefits of the procedure.
- The advanced prosthesis enabled natural control, reducing compensatory movements during daily living tasks.
Implications:
- This bionic substitution approach presents a viable alternative for severe hand injuries where reconstructive surgery fails.
- The findings are clinically applicable and can be extended to institutions with comparable resources.
- This method offers a pathway to regain high functionality and improve quality of life for patients with critical limb trauma.
