Stroke Programs

Neuroprosthetic Arm & Hand Recovery Following Stroke

Exploring the feasibility of implantable neuroprosthetic for the restoration of hand function following stroke.

General Information on this clinical study

Principal Investigators: John Chae, M.D. and Jayme Knutson, Ph.D.

Clinical Coordinator: Cathy Corrigan, R.N.

Contact Number: 216-778-8903

Contact Email: ccorrigan@metrohealth.org

Program Title: Implanted Neuroprosthetic for Hand Function

Purpose

Even with incredible effort by stroke survivors and their health care professionals, many stroke survivors do not experience sufficient recovery of their hand to perform activities of daily living. For these patients an implanted electrical stimulation system or a hand neuroprosthesis may provide some hand function. Researchers at MetroHealth Medical Center in conjunction with researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Veterans Affair Medical Center have developed an implanted electrical stimulation system (Figure 4) that opens and closes the hand in order to perform specific tasks such as holding and using a utensil, cup or a computer diskette. These devices were originally developed for persons with spinal cord injury. Researchers at MetroHealth are now evaluating the system for stroke survivors.