News Archive
TV celebrity is guest of honour at MERU day
LAURENCE Llewelyn-Bowen was the guest of honour as 300 people flocked to ‘a special day at MERU’ to see how the charity uses its design and engineering skills to make equipment for children and young people with disabilities
The Carshalton-based charity’s new patron Laurence was joined by his wife Jackie and their daughters Cecile and Hermione, along with Laurence’s brother Edward and his family. Laurence and Edward’s late father, orthopaedic surgeon Trefor Llewellyn Bowen, was one of MERU’s founders and Laurence unveiled a plaque commemorating his pioneering role.
Before the unveiling Laurence said: “It’s amazing to come back to something that was so important to my father, and to see how the charity he helped found continues to solve everyday problems for disabled children. They do this by using good design, intelligence and creativity – it’s very powerful.” He also explained how pleased he felt at being able to use his own profile to bring visibility to MERU’s work.
The event was also attended by the family of MERU’s other founder, medical engineer Bill Bond. Bill’s son Peter also spoke, paying proud tribute to his father’s ground-breaking work. All the staff and volunteers at MERU were greatly saddened to hear that Bill passed away the day after the event following a long illness. However Peter Bond was able to let them know that his father had been delighted to hear about the success of MERU’s ‘special day’.
As well as displays of MERU’s work, the day included plenty of fun activities for families – such as making foam cowboy hats, plastic fridge magnets and jumping beans. There was also a raffle, a tombola and stalls from other charities and organisations working with disabled children.
Laurence took the opportunity to try ‘The Bugzi Challenge’, which involved steering MERU’s innovative powered wheelchair for toddlers round a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ themed obstacle course, achieving a very respectable time. He then went on to draw the raffle and present prizes. Over £1000 was raised as a result of the event.
LAURENCE Llewelyn-Bowen was the guest of honour as 300 people flocked to ‘a special day at MERU’ to see how the charity uses its design and engineering skills to make equipment for children and young people with disabilities
The Carshalton-based charity’s new patron Laurence was joined by his wife Jackie and their daughters Cecile and Hermione, along with Laurence’s brother Edward and his family. Laurence and Edward’s late father, orthopaedic surgeon Trefor Llewellyn Bowen, was one of MERU’s founders and Laurence unveiled a plaque commemorating his pioneering role.
Before the unveiling Laurence said: “It’s amazing to come back to something that was so important to my father, and to see how the charity he helped found continues to solve everyday problems for disabled children. They do this by using good design, intelligence and creativity – it’s very powerful.” He also explained how pleased he felt at being able to use his own profile to bring visibility to MERU’s work.
The event was also attended by the family of MERU’s other founder, medical engineer Bill Bond. Bill’s son Peter also spoke, paying proud tribute to his father’s ground-breaking work. All the staff and volunteers at MERU were greatly saddened to hear that Bill passed away the day after the event following a long illness. However Peter Bond was able to let them know that his father had been delighted to hear about the success of MERU’s ‘special day’.
As well as displays of MERU’s work, the day included plenty of fun activities for families – such as making foam cowboy hats, plastic fridge magnets and jumping beans. There was also a raffle, a tombola and stalls from other charities and organisations working with disabled children.
Laurence took the opportunity to try ‘The Bugzi Challenge’, which involved steering MERU’s innovative powered wheelchair for toddlers round a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ themed obstacle course, achieving a very respectable time. He then went on to draw the raffle and present prizes. Over £1000 was raised as a result of the event.
Big toe could be an 'artificial first'
AN artificial big toe attached to the foot of an ancient Egyptian mummy could prove to be the world's earliest functional prosthetic body part, say scientists.
Research at The University of Manchester is hoping to prove that the wood and leather artefact in the Cairo Museum not only looked the part but also helped its owner walk 'like an Egyptian'.
If true, the toe will predate what is currently considered to be the earliest known practical prosthesis - an artificial leg from 300BC - by several hundred years.
Jacky Finch, who is carrying out the study at Manchester's KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, is recruiting volunteers whose right big toe has been lost in order to test an exact replica of the artificial toe.
A model of a second false Egyptian big toe on display in the British Museum, albeit without its mummy, will also be tested at the Human Performance Laboratory at nearby University of Salford.
"The toes date from between 1000 and 600BC, so if we can prove that one or both were functional then we will have pushed back prosthetic medicine by as much as 700 years," said Jacky.
"The Cairo toe is the most likely of the two to be functional as it is articulated and shows signs of wear. It is still attached to the foot of the mummy of a female between 50 and 60 years of age. The amputation site is also well healed."
The British Museum artefact - named the Greville Chester Great Toe after the collector who acquired it for the museum in 1881 - is made from cartonnage, a sort of papier mach?ade using linen, glue and plaster.
It too shows signs of wear, indicating that it may have been worn by its owner in life and not simply attached to the foot during mummification for religious or ritualistic reasons. However, unlike the Cairo specimen, the Greville Chester toe does not bend and so is likely to have been more cosmetic.
"The Human Performance Laboratory will use state-of-the-art technology to test whether the replicas of the artificial toes benefit the wearer and could therefore be deemed functional," said Jacky.
"If either one is functional it may be interesting to manufacture it with modern materials and trial it for use on people with missing toes."
AN artificial big toe attached to the foot of an ancient Egyptian mummy could prove to be the world's earliest functional prosthetic body part, say scientists.
Research at The University of Manchester is hoping to prove that the wood and leather artefact in the Cairo Museum not only looked the part but also helped its owner walk 'like an Egyptian'.
If true, the toe will predate what is currently considered to be the earliest known practical prosthesis - an artificial leg from 300BC - by several hundred years.
Jacky Finch, who is carrying out the study at Manchester's KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, is recruiting volunteers whose right big toe has been lost in order to test an exact replica of the artificial toe.
A model of a second false Egyptian big toe on display in the British Museum, albeit without its mummy, will also be tested at the Human Performance Laboratory at nearby University of Salford.
"The toes date from between 1000 and 600BC, so if we can prove that one or both were functional then we will have pushed back prosthetic medicine by as much as 700 years," said Jacky.
"The Cairo toe is the most likely of the two to be functional as it is articulated and shows signs of wear. It is still attached to the foot of the mummy of a female between 50 and 60 years of age. The amputation site is also well healed."
The British Museum artefact - named the Greville Chester Great Toe after the collector who acquired it for the museum in 1881 - is made from cartonnage, a sort of papier mach?ade using linen, glue and plaster.
It too shows signs of wear, indicating that it may have been worn by its owner in life and not simply attached to the foot during mummification for religious or ritualistic reasons. However, unlike the Cairo specimen, the Greville Chester toe does not bend and so is likely to have been more cosmetic.
"The Human Performance Laboratory will use state-of-the-art technology to test whether the replicas of the artificial toes benefit the wearer and could therefore be deemed functional," said Jacky.
"If either one is functional it may be interesting to manufacture it with modern materials and trial it for use on people with missing toes."
Chris in Cambodia bid to help landmine kids
LANDMINE survivor Chris Moon MBE is to cycle across Cambodia to raise funds to provide prosthetic limbs for children disabled by landmines
Chris, who lost an arm and a leg while clearing landmines in Mozambique, will cycle from the Thai border to Sihanoukville, Cambodia to help raise funds and awareness for British NGO The Cambodia Trust.
Moon’s fundraising will help the Cambodia Trust to provide prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and the opportunity to go to school for many Cambodian children disabled by landmines, polio and other conditions.
“In 1993 I was clearing landmines for a charity in Cambodia and I saw the terrible circumstances in which Cambodian disabled people struggle to survive,” he said. “In 1995 I learned the importance of artificial limbs when I lost my lower right arm and leg walking in a supposedly clear area in a minefield in Mozambique.”
Moon has undertaken a number of extreme challenges to raise funds for the Cambodia Trust, including a 300-mile run across Death Valley.
“I’ve witnessed the work of the Cambodia Trust first hand for more than10 years. It’s a very worthy organisation doing excellent work,” he added.
LANDMINE survivor Chris Moon MBE is to cycle across Cambodia to raise funds to provide prosthetic limbs for children disabled by landmines
Chris, who lost an arm and a leg while clearing landmines in Mozambique, will cycle from the Thai border to Sihanoukville, Cambodia to help raise funds and awareness for British NGO The Cambodia Trust.
Moon’s fundraising will help the Cambodia Trust to provide prosthetic limbs, wheelchairs and the opportunity to go to school for many Cambodian children disabled by landmines, polio and other conditions.
“In 1993 I was clearing landmines for a charity in Cambodia and I saw the terrible circumstances in which Cambodian disabled people struggle to survive,” he said. “In 1995 I learned the importance of artificial limbs when I lost my lower right arm and leg walking in a supposedly clear area in a minefield in Mozambique.”
Moon has undertaken a number of extreme challenges to raise funds for the Cambodia Trust, including a 300-mile run across Death Valley.
“I’ve witnessed the work of the Cambodia Trust first hand for more than10 years. It’s a very worthy organisation doing excellent work,” he added.
US scientists perfect joint infection detection
US scientists have perfected a more accurate way to detect infection in prosthetic joints.
The new method, which samples bacteria which stick to surface of the joint, was tested on 331 patients with a problematic prosthetic hip or knee.
It accurately detected 78.5 per cent of cases of infection, compared with 60.8 per cent using the conventional approach.
The Mayo Clinic in Rochester study features in the New England Journal of Medicine.
While most people who have their hips or knees replaced experience dramatic benefit, a small percentage of patients suffer from pain caused by an infection or loosening of the prosthetic joint, and require additional surgery.
The conventional method for detecting infection samples tissue around the prosthetic joint at the time of surgery.
“The problem with the conventional method is that you need multiple tissue specimens, because the sensitivity of a single specimen is not good - in other words, the infection might be missed with just one sample,” said Robin Patel, M.D., Mayo Clinic professor of medicine, who led the multidisciplinary team of orthopedic surgeons, infectious diseases physicians and laboratory researchers. Another issue is that bacteria normally found on the skin can be picked up on the tissue specimen as it is extracted and passes through the skin, yielding a false-positive result. These same bacteria may actually cause the infection, so doctors can't always tell just by the type of bacteria detected whether the patient has an infection or not. If multiple specimens are positive for the bacteria, then this indicates that the bacteria are causing the infection.”
The new test involves surgeons removing the prosthetic joint as they normally would, placing it in a special container, and sending it to the laboratory.
In the laboratory, a solution is added to the container and then the container is subjected to a combination of vortexing (shaking) and sonication (exposure to ultrasound) which has been shown to remove biofilm bacteria.
The bacteria, which are in the solution, are then cultured.
Using the technique, researchers found a wide variety of different types of bacteria.
US scientists have perfected a more accurate way to detect infection in prosthetic joints.
The new method, which samples bacteria which stick to surface of the joint, was tested on 331 patients with a problematic prosthetic hip or knee.
It accurately detected 78.5 per cent of cases of infection, compared with 60.8 per cent using the conventional approach.
The Mayo Clinic in Rochester study features in the New England Journal of Medicine.
While most people who have their hips or knees replaced experience dramatic benefit, a small percentage of patients suffer from pain caused by an infection or loosening of the prosthetic joint, and require additional surgery.
The conventional method for detecting infection samples tissue around the prosthetic joint at the time of surgery.
“The problem with the conventional method is that you need multiple tissue specimens, because the sensitivity of a single specimen is not good - in other words, the infection might be missed with just one sample,” said Robin Patel, M.D., Mayo Clinic professor of medicine, who led the multidisciplinary team of orthopedic surgeons, infectious diseases physicians and laboratory researchers. Another issue is that bacteria normally found on the skin can be picked up on the tissue specimen as it is extracted and passes through the skin, yielding a false-positive result. These same bacteria may actually cause the infection, so doctors can't always tell just by the type of bacteria detected whether the patient has an infection or not. If multiple specimens are positive for the bacteria, then this indicates that the bacteria are causing the infection.”
The new test involves surgeons removing the prosthetic joint as they normally would, placing it in a special container, and sending it to the laboratory.
In the laboratory, a solution is added to the container and then the container is subjected to a combination of vortexing (shaking) and sonication (exposure to ultrasound) which has been shown to remove biofilm bacteria.
The bacteria, which are in the solution, are then cultured.
Using the technique, researchers found a wide variety of different types of bacteria.
