Method And System For Providing Proprioceptive Feedback And Functionality Mitigating Limb Pathology

Abstract

Proprioceptive feedback is provided in a residual limb of a person that includes forming a linkage between a pair of agonist and antagonist muscles, forming a sliding surface over which the agonist and antagonist muscles slide. The sliding surface can include a synovial sleeve, a bridge formed between the distal ends of bones, or a fixture that is osseointegrated into the bone. The invention also includes a system for transdermal electrical communication in a person that includes a percutaneous access device, a sensory device that communicates signals between a muscle and the percutaneous device, and a stimulation device in communication with the percutaneous access device. In another embodiment, a closed-loop functional stimulation system restores lost functionality to a person that suffers from impairment of a neurological control system or at least partial loss of a limb.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 068,531, filed Jan. 6, 2017, which is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT / US2017 / 012553, filed Jan. 6, 2017, which designates the U.S., published in English, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 276,422, filed on Jan. 8, 2016. The entire teachings of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Generally, the current clinically-accepted surgical paradigm for limb amputation servers discarded tissue with no thought of potential use in neural prosthetic control paradigms, and has not changed substantially in over a century. Further, there is currently no technology to restore proprioceptive feedback to thereby communicate joint and / or actuator state from a prosthesis to a patient.[0003]Biological feedback of muscle or joint state (position and its derivatives) depends on a differential stretch signal...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes a method and system for treating limb pathologies and enhancing human physicality. It can preserve post-amputation function in the residuum and restore natural muscle control function in paralyzed or weakened limbs. The system provides repeatable control of each muscle in the agonist / antagonist pair, improving fidelity of the perceived joint position. It can also reduce pain and discomfort during prosthetic socket loading by transmitting load more evenly across load-bearing soft tissue of the residual limb. The functional stimulation system of the invention overcomes the problem of imprecise muscle stimulation and ensures accurate position information is communicated to the prosthesis user. This invention has many advantages for treating limb pathologies and enhancing human physicality.

Problems solved by technology

Further, there is currently no technology to restore proprioceptive feedback to thereby communicate joint and / or actuator state from a prosthesis to a patient.

As the residuum is distally loaded, the soft tissue at the distal end of the residual limb is compressed against this small, rigid cross-section of the residual tibia, resulting in acute high stresses in the soft tissue.

Typically, development of implantable devices is currently limited by the ability to transmit power and information across the skin membrane.

Wireless transmission of power is inherently inefficient, and communication often is hampered by bit-rate throttling.

These obstacles are amplified as the wireless communication distance increases.

However, concerns about infection have hindered development of wired solutions.

Neuromuscular pathologies are often the result of damaged neural pathways between movement centers in the central nervous system and the skeletal muscles they control.

Whether through dysfunctional contraction dynamics or muscular paralysis, this breakdown in communication renders muscles unable to produce natural movement, reducing quality of life for millions currently suffering from neuromuscular pathologies.

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