There wasn't an empty seat in the room on Friday at The Pirates House! President Laura Lane McKinnon reminded everyone of the Board Meeting and the upcoming social at the Coach's Corner on Tuesday, March 29th, from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM. Ed Engel gave a Rotary Foundation Minute and mentioned that as little as $0.60 can protect one child from Polio. Once all Rotary business items were discussed, Dr. Ted Samaddar, an orthopedic surgeon, spoke to the club about upper extremity amputations and the surgical procedures and prosthesis that can help these patients.
There are two million Americans who live with limb amputation. There are many reasons for this including but not limited to diabetes, military combat, and motor vehicle crashes. Between 2001-2015, 1600 service men and women had to have a limb amputated. 8% of amputations are in the upper extremity of the body.
There are three types of prosthesis designs: cosmetic, body powered (inexpensive and functional) and myoelectric. A myoelectric controlled prosthesis is an externally powered artificial limb that you control with the electrical signals generated naturally by your own muscles. This is the most expensive and is reserved mainly for military personnel. Dr. Samaddar is able to perform a procedure called TMR in patients undergoing limb amputation or in patients with painful neuromas after nerve injury. TMR involves rerouting severed or injured nerves to new muscle targets using microsurgical techniques to provide the nerve endings with a new muscle to innervate. Patients who have this procedure have significantly less pain. TMR is becoming the standard of care for all amputee patients.
To learn more about Dr. Samaddar and his specialities, please visit http://www.chathamortho.com