10 ancient (and not so) prostheses that went down in the history of mankind

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Some animals, such as geckos and octopuses, are able to regrow lost limbs. People are not capable of this, so it is not surprising that prostheses have existed for thousands of years. Today, thanks to the irrepressible imagination of inventors, amputees have more options than ever before, but there are many interesting facts in the history of prosthetic technology.

1. Egyptian finger

The purpose of the prosthesis is to restore the function of the missing limb. Therefore, most of the earliest prostheses in history replaced an arm or a leg. Surprisingly, one of the earliest found prostheses served quite differently. It was a wooden thumb, about 3000 years old, that belonged to a representative of the nobility in ancient Egypt. But why was it necessary to do such a thing?

In terms of functionality, the toes are good for things like balance and stability while walking, and the big toe carries 40 percent of your body weight with each step. In addition, a thumb was required to properly wear traditional Egyptian sandals. Nevertheless, there is another version of the use of this type of prosthesis: it was done purely for aesthetic reasons, and also in order to preserve the integrity of the body (the Egyptians were very jealous of this). Of course, today it is no longer possible to know for sure why a woman wore a prosthetic thumb, but the artifact is really very unusual.

2. Commander Mark Sergius

Ancient Rome was a civilization known for its many battles and wars, so it is understandable that after the battles, some Romans needed prostheses. Legends include the commander Mark Sergius and his iron right hand. After serving in the army for only 2 years, the Roman lost his right arm.

It is unknown if he made the prosthesis for himself, but in the end, after several battles, Mark was already sporting an iron prosthesis attached to the stump of his arm. It was specially made so that the commander could hold his shield. Subsequently, Mark Sergius repeatedly demonstrated courage and valor in battles, and was also remembered for the fact that he liberated the cities of Carmona and Placenta, previously captured by enemies.

3. Rig Veda

The Egyptian toe may have been one of the earliest found prostheses, but the Rig Veda is the earliest known document that mentions prostheses. Written between 3500 and 1800 BC in India, a religious text tells the story of the warrior queen Vishpali (also spelled “Vishpala”). In particular, it is said that when a warrior lost her leg in battle, an iron limb was made for her. The Vedas are known to contain references to early medical and surgical practices. Although the iron leg has not been described in detail, it is believed that this is the first mention of the use of prostheses. Interestingly, there is still debate about whether Vishpali was a man or … a horse.

4. Ambroise Paré

The loss of a limb usually only happened as a result of some horrible accident or battle. French hairdresser-surgeon Ambroise Paré was a pioneer in the study of amputation as a medical procedure, which he began to practice in 1529. Paré has perfected surgical procedures to safely remove the limbs of wounded soldiers, and pioneered the use of wire and thread to pinch a patient's blood vessels to prevent them from bleeding during surgery.

Another of Pare's unusual techniques at the time was the so-called "flap amputation", in which the surgeon retained the skin and muscles during the operation to cover the resulting stump. Paré developed projects for the prosthetic arms and legs above the knee, and his diary has been preserved with drawings of all prostheses, including even a funny drawing of a prosthetic nose with a rather prominent artificial mustache.

5. American Civil War

Unsurprisingly, the greatest advances in the development of prostheses occurred during the war. It is estimated that approximately 30,000 people were amputated due to combat injuries during the US Civil War (some claim there were actually 50,000 such operations). A Confederate soldier named James Hunger created Hanger's Limb after becoming the first Confederate invalid when a cannonball hit him in the left leg during battle. The leg had to be amputated above the knee, and the soldier was given a wooden limb, which soon proved ineffective. The Hanger limb was made of barrel rivets and had metal hinges, making it the most advanced prosthesis of its time. Hunger soon founded a company to sell his invention.

6. Dubois D. Parmely

Around the same time that James Hanger's prosthetics were being developed, another inventor appeared who was trying to improve prosthetic technology. Dubois D. Parmely, a New York chemist, has several patents, mainly related to the use of rubber. Parmeli's contribution to prosthetics technology was mainly related to how the artificial limb was attached to the body. Before Parmela, prostheses were attached to the stump with belts. Unfortunately, with any movement, the prosthesis could painfully rub against the stump. Parmeli invented a suction tube that used atmospheric pressure. These types of prostheses were made to order for each patient so that they fit perfectly in shape. The atmospheric pressure acted as a vacuum that prevented the prosthesis from irritating the tissues of the amputated limb.

7. Service of prostheses and devices

The First World War led to more destruction as more advanced technology appeared. During this time, infections were extremely widespread, so amputations were quite common. Because the cost of custom-made prostheses was incredibly high, during the war the British government opened a Limb Service to help the wounded. This was the beginning of the Prosthesis and Appliance Service (ALAS) in Wales, which still exists today. Britain was not the only country to fund the treatment of veterans and amputees after the wars. Such services have become widespread in many developed countries throughout the 20th century.

8. Isidro M. Martinez

The Egyptian toe discussed above perfectly demonstrated the need for both form and function in the design of high-quality prostheses. However, leg prosthetic designers have often focused on reproducing the shape of the missing limb. Although the prosthesis looked good, walking with the new leg was uncomfortable. That all changed when Isidro M. Marinez, an amputated inventor, took a more abstract approach in the 1970s.

His prostheses were lighter and had a higher center of mass and weight distribution, which reduced friction, made his gait more balanced, and made walking easier. Although this invention was intended only for patients whose legs were amputated below the knee, Martinez's prostheses proved that such devices can be both functional and stylish, even if they do not perfectly resemble lost limbs.

9. 3D printing

Now let's move on from design and functionality to the production of prostheses. As mentioned earlier, dentures need to be custom made for each patient so that they are comfortable and safe during use. Advances in 3D printing technology have increased efficiency, and for engineers and doctors, they have reduced the time it takes to make these prostheses. Dentures are customizable, and as 3D printing becomes more common, these devices can be printed by anyone at any time.

10. Smart prostheses

Finally, there is the concept of intelligent prostheses. While the designs of the prostheses used in the past are impressive, they still cannot replace the connection a “real” hand or leg had to the human brain. This could all change with the development of smart prostheses. Developers are looking for ways to connect the brain with artificial intelligence in a prosthesis. It looks like this: when an amputee thinks to take a cup, the prosthesis "understands" his desire, because the brain sends signals to the remaining muscles. The developers hope to train prostheses to respond to amputee muscle contractions and then respond accordingly. Apart from this, prostheses are also being developed that can monitor the health of the person using them.