Surgical and technological advances in the management of upper limb amputees.

Bone Joint J · Mar 2021 · Review

Geary M, Gaston RG, Loeffler B

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute, Charlotte

Hand & Upper Extremity

SUMMARY — THE REDUCTIONReviews advances for upper limb amputees, including targeted muscle reinnervation, regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces, and modern prosthetics, plus emerging osseointegration and implantable sensors and nerve cuffs.
Abstract, as published

Upper limb amputations, ranging from transhumeral to partial hand, can be devastating for patients, their families, and society. Modern paradigm shifts have focused on reconstructive options after upper extremity limb loss, rather than considering the amputation an ablative procedure. Surgical advancements such as targeted muscle reinnervation and regenerative peripheral nerve interface, in combination with technological development of modern prosthetics, have expanded options for patients after amputation. In the near future, advances such as osseointegration, implantable myoelectric sensors, and implantable nerve cuffs may become more widely used and may expand the options for prosthetic integration, myoelectric signal detection, and restoration of sensation. This review summarizes the current advancements in surgical techniques and prosthetics for upper limb amputees. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(3):430-439.

Featured in the 2026-08-19 issue.

← Indications and Clinical Results of Radial Head Replacement: …Scaphoid Nonunions: Local Vascularized Bone Flaps. →

The Reduction is a free email digest of newly published orthopaedic literature — a handful of new papers in the subspecialties you choose, each summarized like this one. Subscribe free or browse the archive.