Abstract

For large avians such as vultures, limb loss leads to loss of ambulation and eventually death from malnutrition. Prosthetic devices may replace the limb, however, conventional prosthetic sockets are not feasible in feathered limbs and the extreme stress and strain of unreflected daily use in animals. Osseointegration is a novel technique, where external prosthetic parts are connected directly to a bone anchor to provide a solid skeletal-attachment. This concept provides a high degree of embodiment since osseoperception will provide direct intuitive feedback allowing natural use of the limb in gait and feeding. Here we demonstrate for the first time an osseointegrated bionic reconstruction of a limb in a vulture after a tarsometatarsal amputation with a longterm follow-up.

Details

Title
Avian extremity reconstruction via osseointegrated leg-prosthesis for intuitive embodiment
Author
Hochgeschurz Sarah 1 ; Bergmeister, Konstantin D 2 ; Rickard, Brånemark 3 ; Aman, Martin 4 ; Rocchi Attillio 5 ; Restitutti Flavia 5 ; Gumpenberger Michaela 6 ; Sporer, Matthias E 4 ; Gstoettner Clemens 4 ; Kramer Anne-Margarete 7 ; Lang, Susanna 8 ; Podesser, Bruno K 7 ; Aszmann, Oskar C 9 

 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Service for Birds and Reptiles, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.6583.8) (ISNI:0000 0000 9686 6466) 
 Medical University of Vienna, Clinical Laboratory for Bionic Extremity Reconstruction, Department of Surgery, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492); University Hospital St. Poelten, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, St. Poelten, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) 
 Gothenburg University, Department of Orthopaedics, Gothenburg, Sweden (GRID:grid.8761.8) (ISNI:0000 0000 9919 9582); Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Biomechatronics Group, MIT Media Lab, Cambridge, USA (GRID:grid.116068.8) (ISNI:0000 0001 2341 2786) 
 Medical University of Vienna, Clinical Laboratory for Bionic Extremity Reconstruction, Department of Surgery, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492); Medical University of Vienna, Center for Biomedical Research, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492) 
 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive-Care Medicine, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.6583.8) (ISNI:0000 0000 9686 6466) 
 University of Veterinary Medicine, Diagnostic Imaging, Department for Companion Animals and Horses, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.6583.8) (ISNI:0000 0000 9686 6466) 
 Medical University of Vienna, Center for Biomedical Research, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492) 
 Medical University of Vienna, Clinical Institute of Pathology, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492) 
 Medical University of Vienna, Clinical Laboratory for Bionic Extremity Reconstruction, Department of Surgery, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492); Medical University of Vienna, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Vienna, Austria (GRID:grid.22937.3d) (ISNI:0000 0000 9259 8492) 
Publication year
2021
Publication date
2021
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2539999644
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. corrected publication 2021. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.