From children with cerebral palsy not receiving therapy to nerve cell therapy that could restore motor function, O&P has seen no shortage of clinical news throughout October.
In case you missed it, below is a list of the latest clinical news and health care updates in the world of O&P:
Study:
Children with cerebral palsy not receiving therapy
Among children with cerebral palsy, 42% have not received any common spasticity management therapies, including orthotics, casting or orthopedic surgery, according to Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc. Read more.
Navy developing ‘smart’ prosthesis to relieve pain, infection
The U.S. Office of Naval Research has partnered with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Naval Research Laboratory and multiple universities to develop a “smart leg,” which will be equipped with sensors to monitor walking gait, as well as alert users of wear, tear and infection risk. Read more.
Nerve cell therapy restores motor function after spinal cord injury
Regenerative therapy using millions of nerve cells derived from human embryonic stem cells restored two or more motor levels on at least one side in four out of six patients with paralyzing spinal cord injuries, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Read more.
Flexible ‘skin’ helps prostheses users sense sheer force
Researchers from the University of Washington and the University of California, Los Angeles have developed a flexible sensor that can be stretched over prostheses as a “skin,” and accurately sends information regarding sheer forces and vibration, according to findings published in Sensors and Actuators A: Physical. Read more.
Researchers, amputees talk ‘tech gap’ at National Press Club event
Thousands of amputees in the United States who would benefit from microprocessor-controlled devices are denied access to the technology by Medicare and private payers, according to researchers who addressed a National Press Club event in Washington, D.C. Read more.
