INTRODUCTION Dysvascular amputations are increasingly performed in patients with underlying cardiac and pulmonary disorders. A limb prosthesis is rarely offered to patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease because of their inability to achieve the high energy expenditure required for prosthetic ambulation. We describe a case of successful prosthetic fitting and rehabilitation o...

After orbital exenteration for neoplasia the remaining bony socket is usually lined with skin and the deformity covered with a prosthesis; in many cases this is acceptable to the patient. However, in certain circumstances, especially in younger patients, a request for some form of reconstruction is made. In the past this has involved multistaged local or distant flaps, lined by skin grafts (Mey...

Understanding muscle architecture of the foot may assist in the design of surgical procedures such as tendon transfer, biomechanical modeling of the foot, prosthesis design, and analysis of foot function. Flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) is the most superficial intrinsic muscle of the sole of the foot. When compared to the little finger, the little toe has less function and opposition is absent in...

Below-knee amputation is associated with higher energy expenditure during walking, partially due to difficulty maintaining balance. We previously found that once-per-step push-off work control can reduce balance-related effort, both in simulation and in experiments with human participants. Simulations also suggested that changing ankle inversion/eversion torque on each step, in response to chan...

The mobility of above-knee amputees (A/K) is limited, in part, due to the performance of A/K prostheses during the stance phase. Currently stance phase control of most conventional A/K prostheses can only be achieved through leg alignment and choice of the SACH (Solid Ankle Cushioned Heel) foot. This paper examines the role of the knee controller in relation to a SACH foot during the stance pha...

The design of a knee joint is a key issue in robotics and biomechanics to improve the compatibility between prosthesis and human movements, and to improve the bipedal robot performances. We propose a novel design for the knee joint of a planar bipedal robot, based on a four-bar linkage. The dynamic model of the planar bipedal robot is calculated. Two kinds of cyclic walking gaits are considered...

Two computer-controlled devices for leg rehabilitation are presented: 1) an external knee prosthesis for trans-femoral amputees; and 2) a force-controllable ankle-foot orthosis to assist individuals suffering from drop-foot, a gait pathology resulting from muscle weakness in ankle dorsiflexors. Here muscle-like actuators and biologically-inspired control schemes are employed to enhance patient ...

BACKGROUND This paper describes the surgical technique of a modified Pirogoff's amputation performed by the senior author and reports the results of this operation in a single surgeon case series for patients with diabetic foot infections. METHODS Six patients with diabetic foot infections were operated on by the National University Hospital (NUH) diabetic foot team in Singapore between Novem...

His right leg was shorter than the left and ended in a conical stump. The foot had a well developed big toe and rudimentary second toe, and was located halfway up the lateral aspect ofthe leg (Fig. 1). The lateral three toes were absent. He could grasp the examiner’s two fingers firmly with this clawlike malformation and pick up a rubber ball 4 cm in diameter. His hips, femora, knees, left leg ...

Abstract The biological ankle dorsiflexes several degrees during swing to provide adequate clearance between the foot and ground, but conventional energy storage return (ESR) prosthetic feet remain in their neutral position, increasing risk of toe scuffs tripping. We present a new intended reduce fall by dorsiflexing joint swing, thereby minimum ground. Unlike previous approaches providing dors...