ProstheticsBy: Sarah Teague

The branch of surgery or of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing parts with artificial structures.

Prosthetic History Originated in the western civilizations of

Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The earliest known artificial limb was made

around 500 B.C., when Herodotus wrote about a prisoner who escaped by cutting off his foot and replacing it with wood later.

Later in 300 B.C., a copper and wooden leg was used in Capri, Italy.

In 1529, Ambroise Pare, a French surgeon introduced amputation and later developed prosthetic limbs in a scientific manner.

The Evolution of Prosthetic Devices

500 B.C.: Wooden foot 300 B.C.: a copper and wooden leg was used in

Capri, Italy. 1696: Pieter Verduyn, a Dutch Surgeon,

developed the first non-locking prosthesis for below the knee.

1898: first artificial limb that could be moved by muscle contractions.

1914-1918: During WW1, prosthetics were further enhanced through the use of telephones and phone directories. 

2000: Prosthetics are made of plastic and fiberglass, and some are controlled by thoughts.

Mechanics of the Prosthetic Limb

Pylon: the internal frame or skeleton of the limb. It provides structural support and is more recently made of light carbon-fiber composites. They can be enclosed by foam material that can be shaped and colored to look like skin.

The socket is the part of the prosthetic device that interfaces with the person's limb stump or residual limb.

The suspension system: keeps the prosthetic limb attached to the body. It can come in different forms such as a harness system or a suction.

Modern Prosthetics Myo-electric Limbs: A replacement

device for lost limbs that uses the electromyographic activity of a contracting muscle as a control signal.

Electric prostheses use small electric motors to move the replaced limb.

Computerized Prosthetic Devices allow for greater mobility.

http://www.ted.com/talks/dean_kamen_previews_a_new_prosthetic_arm.html

Citations "How Prosthetic Limbs Work." How Stuff Works. How Stuff

Works, 2012. Web. 12 Feb 2012. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/prosthetic-limb2.htm>.

. "The History of Prosthetics." . timetoast, 2011. Web. 12 Feb 2012. <http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/the-history-of-prosthetics-then-to-now>.

. "The History of Prosthetics." about.com Inventors. about.com, 2012. Web. 12 Feb 2012. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blprosthetic.htm >

. "Modern Prosthetics." Prosthetics and Orthotics Hanger inc.. Hanger Inc., 2012. Web. 13 Feb 2012. <http://www.hanger.com/prosthetics/services/lowerextremity/Pages/LEComponentry.asp&xgt;