Artificial Limbs

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Basics

• Summary
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• Related Issues

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials

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For You

• Older Adults

Summary

People can lose all or part of an arm or leg for a number of reasons. Common ones include:

• Circulation problems from atherosclerosis or diabetes. They may cause you to need an amputation.
• Traumatic injuries, including from traffic accidents and military combat
• Cancer
• Birth defects

If you are missing an arm or leg, an artificial limb can sometimes replace it. The device, which is called a prosthesis, can help you to perform daily activities such as walking, eating, or dressing. Some artificial limbs let you function nearly as well as before.

Start Here

• Limb Prosthetics (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
• Prosthetic Frequently Asked Questions for the New Amputee (Amputee Coalition of America)

Related Issues

• Rehabilitation Engineering: What is Rehabilitation Engineering? (National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering) Also in Spanish
• The Wonderful World of Cosmesis (Amputee Coalition of America)
• When to Replace a Prosthesis (Amputee Coalition of America)

Statistics and Research

• Brain-Machine Interfaces: Converting Thoughts into Action (Society for Neuroscience)
• Prosthetic Engineering (Department of Veterans Affairs)
• Prosthetics / Limb Loss (Department of Veterans Affairs) - PDF
• Prosthetics and Related Technology (Department of Veterans Affairs) - PDF

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Amputation, Traumatic (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Artificial Limbs (National Institutes of Health)

Find an Expert

• Department of Veterans Affairs

Older Adults

• Older Adults Can Thrive as Prosthesis Users (Amputee Coalition of America)