Which Is Better: Hand Transplant or Prosthetic?

The system of sensors attaches to a patient’s hand and upper arm, and tracks the movement over a period of several days. One of the main parameters they are interested in is how much amputees use their prosthesis or transplanted hand versus their healthy hand. Non-amputee people typically use their dominant hand for 55% of tasks, while their non-dominant hand handles the other 45%. The researchers observed that patients with prosthetic hands show an 80%/20% split, favoring the healthy hand over the prosthetic. Recipients of hand transplants displayed a more balanced split.