Oct 17, 2013

Miniature Implants for Hand Tendon-Transfer Surgery: A Simulation- and Experiment-Based Study

Dr. Ravi Balasubramanian will describe the use of OpenSim simulations and cadaver experiments to evaluate surgical outcomes using the new implants.

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To learn more, visit Dr. Balasubramanian's website at http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/~balasubr or read his paper on the topic: "Implanted Miniature Engineering Mechanisms in Tendon-Transfer Surgery Improve Robustness of Post-Surgery Hand".

Details

Title: Miniature Implants for Hand Tendon-Transfer Surgery: A Simulation- and Experiment-Based Study
Speaker: Dr. Ravi Balasubramanian, Oregon State University
Time: Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time

Registration

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Abstract

Tendon-transfer surgeries are commonly performed for a variety of conditions such as stroke, palsies, trauma, and congenital defects. The surgery involves re-routing a tendon from a nonfunctioning muscle to a still-functioning muscle to partially restore lost function. However, a fundamental aspect of the current surgical procedure, namely the suture that attaches the tendon(s) to the muscles, leads to poor hand function in physical interaction tasks such as grasping, because of the fixed 1:1 coupling the suture produces between the muscles and tendons. My group is investigating the use of passive differential engineering mechanisms, such as hierarchical pulleys, as implants to attach the muscles and tendons in place of the direct suture. I will present results from simulations in OpenSim and cadaver experiments that show that the modified surgical procedure results in better hand function in grasping tasks.