The Cellar - Bionic Cat

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- Technology (http://cellar.org/forumdisplay.php?f=7)

- - Bionic Cat (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=23018)

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/afp/20100625/c...omPSa817WoJg--

Quote:

LONDON (AFP) – A cat which lost both back paws after a traumatic accident involving a combine harvester has regained a spring in its step after being fitted with prosthetic limbs.

In a groundbreaking surgery carried out by Noel Fitzpatrick, a Surrey-based veterinary surgeon, the custom-made implants "peg" the ankle to Oscar's foot and mimic the way in which deer antler bone grows through skin.

The prosthetic legs, called intraosseous transcutaneous amputation prosthetics (Itaps) were developed by a team from University College London, led by Professor Gordon Blunn.

"The real revolution with Oscar is [that] we have put a piece of metal and a flange into which skin grows into an extremely tight bone," Fitzpatrick said of the operation which took place last November.

"We have managed to get the bone and skin to grow into the implant and we have developed an 'exoprosthesis' that allows this implant to work as a see-saw on the bottom of an animal's limbs to give him effectively normal gait," he added.

The veterinary surgical team took three hours to insert the pegs by drilling into one of the cat's ankle bones in each of the back legs.

The Itap technology has already been used to create a prosthetic for a woman who lost her arm in the July 2005 London bombings.

Oscar's recovery will feature as part of a six-part BBC One documentary series, The Bionic Vet, starting later this month.

Even basement cat needs to wear stilettos sometimes.

Oscar's doing better than python-kitty.

this story was so great. i admit that i sniffled. i'm kind of a sucker for cats, being a person from the internet and all. two of my own. and the vet responsible just seemed like such a good guy, really doing it for the right reasons. bravo.

Hopefully this advances bone-prosthetic-skin interface technology for humans as well. All the superadvanced prosthetic arms, legs, etc have a maximum comfort level as long as they have to be tightly strapped to the outside of the body. If we could get a solid socket melded to bone, and not infection- or irritation-prone where it comes through the skin, prosthetics would be hugely more comfortable and versatile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey (Post 666391)

yeah. i wonder what they've done to graft in those sockets so effectively? or is it an artifact of the cat's own immune system? rejection is such a nightmare for any sort of implant.

in another life, i'd not mind being an orthotist - developing and fitting prosthetics. what an awesome job.

But they could have just gotten a new cat for $20.

Hang on a minute ...

Quote:

lost both back paws after a traumatic accident involving a combine harvester

How ... ?

So, well, Oscar was bored with the rubber mouse, and the feather on the string was all chewed up, so John fired up the combine harvester and started chasing Oscar around the living room. Oh the fun they had, but it was bound to end in tears...

what this cat needs is an array of attachments!

springs!
swim flippers!
razor claws for hunting!
skis!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus (Post 666419)

But they could have just gotten a new cat for $20.

aaaand thank you for ruining the faith in humanity that this story momentarily deceived me into having.

I can get 'em cheaper than that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sad_winslow (Post 666498)

aaaand thank you for ruining the faith in humanity that this story momentarily deceived me into having.

I could not let you carry on with that delusion for too long.

One can only go so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum (Post 666456)

Hang on a minute ...

How ... ?

So, well, Oscar was bored with the rubber mouse, and the feather on the string was all chewed up, so John fired up the combine harvester and started chasing Oscar around the living room. Oh the fun they had, but it was bound to end in tears...

Thank you ZenGum for not letting this thread get too serious. I can always count on you to insert politically incorrect wisdom and humor.

I love seeing the kitty walking around and being a kitty.

Now, if they could only make them LOOK like cats feet instead of chair legs