Medical implant innovation | John DesJardins | TEDxGreenville
Channel: TEDx Talks
Date: 2014-06-15

Patients are granted renewed hope and vigor with medical implants born in Clemson University's Bioengineering Department. John DesJardins tells us about the growing number of total knee replacements, and how things can go wrong due to infections or other complications. This may result in a hard choice for patients — be wheelchair bound, have the knee fused so it doesn't bend, or amputation. A very tough choice, indeed. He then reveals how researchers at Clemson invented a new knee implant that allows a fourth, more functional, option. It's not a fully functional knee, but allows the patient to lock and unlock the fused knee for greater comfort and convenience. Looking into the future, he sees more and more functional prostheses, where patients will be able to adjust their 'bionics'.

This talk was part of TEDxGreenville UNZIPPED, held April 11, 2014, at the Kroc Center in Greenville, South Carolina. For more information about John and his co-presenters, please visit http://tedxgreenville.com/2014presenters

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)