Camille Abaya, Trisha Chatterjee, Celine Choi TPSP 6 PreAP/GT

5/12/14 P9
Which is Better: Invasive or Noninvasive Prosthetics?
New advances in the field of prosthesis have allowed patients to choose between
invasive & noninvasive artificial limbs. Each patient must choose which is preferable for
them based on their knowledge of prostheses and their pros and cons.
What is prosthesis? According to Dictionary.com, prosthetics is the branch of
surgery or of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing parts with artificial
structures. This basically means that prosthesis is an artificial limb to replace any
missing limbs.
Since the original prosthetic limb (thought to be made around 1000-600BCE),
many changes have been made to improve prosthetic limbs. One major difference,
writes Isaac Perry Clements, is the presence of newer materials, such as advanced
plastics and carbon-fiber composites. The presence of these substances reduces weight
and strengthens the limb. Clements writes, Electronic technologies make today's
advanced prosthetics more controllable This includes automatically adapting to
different functions, such as gripping, or walking.
Most patients will begin their search with a visit to the doctor, who will fill them
in on some basic facts about prosthetics. Then they will wonder, What are the
similarities and differences between the two? At this point, after sifting through a few
files off the Internet, they will have a clear image of invasive and noninvasive prosthetics.
Invasive prosthetics means that the patient will have to undergo surgery to attach the
prosthetic limb to their body. Non-invasive prosthesis however, is simpler. There is no
need for surgery, but the limb will also have less flexibility and controllability. This is
because non-invasive prosthetic limbs are not directly connected to the nerve endings, but
are controlled by an outside source. For example, a man can have a prosthetic limb
attached to his leg from the knee or hip that is controlled by a walking stick that he can
hold in his hand.
Most people will stop here once they realize that invasive prosthetics has one big
disadvantage. Invasive prosthetics has more controllability, but also has more risk.
During the surgery, there is a possibility of permanently damaging the nerve endings or
getting infected and having to amputate another limb.
Most of this decision is based on which limb is being replaced, but most people
decide to undergo invasive prosthetic surgery. This is after they clearly understand what
prosthesis is and its pros and cons.
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