Affiliations: [a] Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA | [b] MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA | [c] Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA | [d] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA | [x] Danish National Research Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark | [y] Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: John Chae, M.D., Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA. Tel.: +1 216 778 3472; Fax: +1 216 778 5560; E-mail: jchae@metrohealth.org
Abstract: Neuroprostheses electrically stimulate paralyzed muscles to provide functional enhancement for individuals with neurological disorders, especially among persons with spinal cord injuries. Fully implanted neuroprostheses are reliable, require minimal maintenance and are user-friendly. These systems provide a variety of functions, including reaching, hand grasp and release, standing and stepping, bladder and bowel function and respiratory assist. Based on a representative review of the literature, this article presents and evaluates the development, clinical implementation and clinical efficacy and effectiveness of the various implanted neuroprostheses. Directions for future development are also presented.
