Phantom Limb Pain: Efficacy of Non-invasive Sensory Feedback Through the Prosthesis

"A non-invasive simple sensory feedback system, which provides the user of a prosthetic hand with sensory feedback on the arm stump. It is mediated by air in a closed loop system connecting silicone pads on the prosthetic hand with pads on the amputation stump. The silicone pads in a tactile display on the amputation stump expand when their corresponding sensor-bulb in the prosthesis is touched, evoking an experience of real touch. Most amputees experience phantom limb sensations and/or phantom limb pain, as well as residual limb stump pain. There is often a map of the phantom hand on the amputation stump, where pressure on specific skin areas result in evoked sensation from specific fingers in the amputated phantom hand. This map is the target for the sensory feedback."