Nashville amputee's biotech company fits others with new bionic knee

From The Tennessean:

Matt Bulow (pictured) looks at a bionic leg, one of the latest developments in prosthetics for above the knee amputees, and smirks.

He didn’t have the benefit of modern technology when his right, lower leg was amputated at 14. Bulow had a clunky, wooden leg, and later a prosthesis of carbon fiber, that was lighter.

“It’s incredible,” he said nodding. “We’ve come a long way.”

Bulow, owner of Bulow BioTech Prosthetics in Nashville, has fitted the bionic-powered prosthesis to a soldier who lost his leg during an accident at Ft. Campbell in Clarksville. Fewer than 100 bionic knees were introduced to the U.S. in 2006, and a newer version is set for release in 2010.

Called the Power Knee and made by the Icelandic company Ossur, the bionic prosthesis replaces muscular activity by providing the power to flex and extend the knee. The newer version will cost under $100,000, which is the cost of the current model.

Surges in prosthetic technological advances happened in the last decade – and it’s not a coincidence that it’s during the Iraq war era. Engineers say funding for prosthetic research and interest in making progress spikes after wars.

The same pattern occurred during World War II and the Vietnam conflict, said Professor Michael Goldfarb, who runs Vanderbilt University’s Center for Intelligent Mechatronics.

“That trend goes back hundreds of years,” Goldfarb said. “The Army feels, rightfully so, that when people are serving the country and losing their limbs, they should support them as much as possible.”

It will be no different in the next several years with more technology powering the prosthetic industry, Goldfarb said. The National Institute of Health and the Army Research Office funds his group that is working on a bionic ankle and knee.

“There’s definitely more funding and interest in these technologies,” he said. “They have wanted to use power but the technology has not been there. Over the last decade there have been a lot of advances with electric motors, battery capabilities, microelectronics and computational power.”

The next generation of the bionic knee has already been built, said Tabi King, Ossur’s director of education. Army Lt. Col. Greg Gadson is the only person in the country to have Ossur’s bionic leg at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. Gadson is the highest-ranking army official to become an amputee, King said.

The new version of the Power Knee has artificial intelligence that realizes when it’s going up the stairs and adjusts itself. It weighs four pounds compared to 10 and has a smaller battery pack, said King.

Advocates say that while soldiers’ losing their limbs has raised the consciousness, there is another dilemma. Amputation is a frequent problem with diabetics as well. These two issues have combined to raise national concern about the broad need for healthcare, said Morgan Sheets, national advocacy director for the Amputee Coalition of America.

“There is a great deal of momentum about the larger debate of healthcare,” Sheets said. “The number of amputees coming back from the war does shed light to their plight. It’s exciting to have technology that enables amputees to fully function. But the challenge for a number of individuals is getting insurance coverage for the most basic devices let alone technological advances.”

Sheets said her group is introducing legislation state-by-state to help fight the cap on benefits because many amputees can’t afford some of the services.

Meanwhile, Bulow decided to open his business in 2006 to help patients who were in his situation. A malignant tumor was the cause of losing his leg but it didn’t stop Bulow from pursuing his goals. Bulow, who grew up in Cookeville, dreamed of playing professional sports either baseball or tennis. After the amputation, Bulow trained and qualified for the Paralympic Games, the equivalent of the Olympics.

He spoke of his inspirational story and worked for a prosthetic company. Bulow decided that with the advances in science he would open his own prosthetic business and work with a handful of patients.

“I feel I can make a difference,” he said. “I can connect with them. I know who and when to give a pat in the back. I know who needs a push.”