New surgery could give amputees 'Bionic' control over prosthetic legs

NCT ID NCT03374319

Completed Disease control Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested a new way to perform leg amputations that connects muscles in the residual limb to act as biological motors. The goal is to allow people to control advanced prosthetic legs more naturally and with better feeling. Fifty adults needing a leg amputation due to injury, birth defects, or arthritis took part. The approach aims to improve how well the remaining muscles can be activated and sensed.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Modified amputation procedure (agonist-antagonist myoneural interface)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a standard surgical technique that gives people with leg amputations better control and feeling in their prosthetic limbs.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. There are also risks like infection, poor wound healing, or the need for additional surgeries.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

AMPUTATION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Brigham & Women's Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab

Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, United States

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