New Prosthetics Technology

New Prosthetic Leg Technology

Jared Rogerson

Science 9A

Science in the News

9/1/2014

Scientists in a hospital in North London have recently developed a new Prosthetic leg that is better and more efficient than any before it. It is called Itap (intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthesis) and is attached to a metal mechanism that is implanted directly onto the bone. This is different than previous prosthetics which are attached to the skin where the leg had been removed or lost. Some of the benefits of this type of prosthetic is that you can actually feel that the prosthetic leg is there and have greater mobility because of it. "Just knowing where my foot is, my ability to know where it is improved dramatically because you can feel it through the bone.” says Mark O’Leary, one of the first people to use this new type of prosthetic leg.  

The developers of Itap say that the main inspiration for it was the way that deer antlers grow. They tried to recreate the way that the antlers grow directly from the bone, while having the skin grow back into a seal that it is comfortable for the person with the prosthetic as well as preventing the leg from getting bacterial infections from contact with the air or other objects.

The main group of people that Itap are designed for are soldiers in the military who have lost their legs. It is much more efficient and easier to use in the fact that it only takes one surgery, as well as it has increased mobility and comfort compared to previous prosthetics. Also Itap can be removed and attached really easily, so if the actual prosthetic is damaged in any way it could be replaced and attached to the already implanted metal plate.

In conclusion, this is another step in the direction towards better ways to replace body parts that have been damaged in any type of accident, and allowing the person to have better control, as newer and newer prosthetics are being invented.