Taking the Next Step: Advances in Amputation Care, Rehabilitation, and the Latest Prosthetic Technology.

This session will present the latest advances in multiple aspects of amputation care. Surgical options such as osseointegration, Agonist-antagonist Myoneural Interfaces (AMI) or Ewing amputation, and several types of nerve reimplantation will be discussed through case studies and slide presentations. Novel control mechanisms for prostheses such as EMG and force myographical pattern recognition systems and brain-computer interfaces will be presented. Cutting edge prosthetic hardware will be introduced, with video demonstrations included. Finally, rehabilitation considerations and sample treatment plans, in the context of these advances, will be discussed in detail. Real-time Q&A and audience polling through smart phones and/or devices will be utilized throughout the session, so come fully charged! This session is an opportunity to offer specialized content to Academy members in the rapidly changing field of prosthetics and limb loss rehabilitation. Surgical and technological developments have accelerated within the past several years and this session would benefit early career or experienced physiatrists as an update to their knowledge. These areas are also frequently underrepresented in PM&R training programs nationwide, and represent a frequent gap in knowledge for trainees and early career physiatrists. Outside of large academic systems or regional amputation centers such as those within the VA, few physiatrists have extensive experience with limb loss rehabilitation. This session offers a great opportunity for Academy members to broaden their knowledge of this core competency of Physiatry, and to extend the benefit of that knowledge to their patients with limb loss.