Improved control of a prosthetic limb by surgically creating electro-neuromuscular constructs with implanted electrodes

A prosthetic limb can restore some functionality after an amputation, and muscles remnant in the residual limb are often used to generate signals to control it. However, in high amputation levels, such as above-elbow, there are not enough muscles left to control all the many missing joints. In this study, we demonstrated that splitting the nerves severed by the amputation and rerouting them into remnant and free muscles grafts can increases the number of potential control signals. This surgical approach, in combination with our neuromusculoskeletal interface, allowed an individual with above-elbow amputation to control all five fingers of a prosthetic hand intuitively.