WHAT IS A PROSTHESIS
A prosthesis is a medical device designed to substitute or replace a particular body part to help patients regain certain functions after a body part has been severely injured due to an accident or disease.
In the medical field, all health care professionals are trained to preserve every body part as much as possible. However, there are cases wherein the damage can lead to worse complications such as death, making the removal of the affected body part a better option. While organs such as the gallbladder or appendix may be removed without any reduction in the quality of life, it is not the same with other body parts, such as the legs, eyes, and arms. To ensure they can still be in working condition, prostheses are used.
Prostheses come in different shapes, sizes, and functions and may be removable or permanent. Some are mainly for cosmetic reasons but most prostheses are used to preserve or bring back functions. The most common are the arms and legs prostheses. Those that are placed inside the body such as artificial hips are considered permanent.
Most prostheses are composed of sockets, shafts, and components to mimic the attachment of the limb to a ball and socket or joint whilst some uses cables to attach the prostheses to the body. Over the years, there have been significant improvements to enhance the designs of prostheses. In fact, some patients are fitted with robotic limbs with electrodes to certain nerves of the brain for more natural control.