Charles Briggs
Cosmetic Restoration – Dynamic Arm and Sensor Speed Hand  

Charles Briggs has met many challenges in his lifetime. In 1967, while serving as a social worker in South Vietnam, Charles Wayne Briggs was shot and endured several difficult surgeries. Many years later he suffered a spinal cord injury. He underwent further surgery, fighting pain and frustration until, through great determination, he once again could walk and resume the extremely active lifestyle he loved.

In 1990, Charles met his toughest challenge. While recharging the battery on his son’s bike, he was attacked by a large dog. The injuries were severe, but surgeons succeeded in saving his right arm. Charles triumphed over a bad infection and eventually healed. He discovered, however, that his right arm was essentially useless – he couldn’t lift things and even the slightest movements caused him unbearable pain.

After two years, he chose to have his right arm amputated at the shoulder. Charles was fit with a high-level prosthesis that, he came to find out, was not suitable for his active lifestyle. The problem, he felt, was that his original prosthetic team did not understand his personal needs. His prosthetic device was uncomfortable and difficult to manipulate – he had a hard time driving a car, much less resuming his passion for flying planes.

In his research to find a more appropriate prosthesis, Charles found Advanced Arm Dynamics and became the first person in North America to be fit with the Otto Bock Dynamic Arm with a Sensor Speed Hand. Controlled by one pectoral muscle and one back muscle, this myoelectric elbow enables Charles to live an exciting, physically active life.

Charles believes that Advanced Arm Dynamics’ success lies in its multi-disciplinary approach to arm amputees. His care was overseen by an Advanced Arm Dynamics team of prosthetists, occupational therapists, technicians and assistants, each bringing different talents and expertise, providing a comprehensive approach to ensure the prosthesis and fitting would work best for his comfort and goals. In addition, a licensed psychologist worked with Briggs, ensuring that the team met both his physical and emotional needs.

In his opinion, the most important thing an arm amputee can get from a company is to be “evaluated and treated by people who are arm specialists. A lot of arm amputees get fitted by someone not skilled with these high-level amputations,” Charles says. “They tend to give up because the devices don’t fit well and don’t work well. The fit is extremely important.” This, he explains, is what Advanced Arm Dynamics does so well.

Elias Nery  
Cosmetic Restoration – Myoelectric Pro Control 2 Prostheses

Elias Nery is fascinated by sea turtles. The 28-year-old bilateral amputee works as a marine biologist in Mexico City. But he almost had to give up his dream after an accident in 2000. Elias was on a sailboat measuring the depth of a lake for a class project. An electric cable snapped and hit Elias in the forehead, sending high-tension voltage throughout his body. Both his arms were badly burned and had to be amputated below the elbow.

Elias went to several different prosthetists, but was unable to resume the extensive computer work that was so necessary in his career. Research led him to Advanced Arm Dynamics’ Center of Excellence in Dallas. After correspondence with the southwest clinical director for Advanced Arm Dynamics (Chris Lake), Elias quickly planned a trip to Texas, where he was fitted for myoelectric Utah Pro Control 2 prostheses.

“I would definitely recommend Advanced Arm Dynamics to anyone,” says Elias. “They are more advanced with technology and treatment than any of the other places I’ve been.”

“The appearance is different – it’s silicone and looks more realistic than my old ones. There is also a wrist rotator, which makes it easier to grasp things. I’m able to eat, write, type and manage books much easier now.”

Elias has returned to Mexico with his beloved sea turtles, studying them and their habitat. His new prostheses allow him to work long hours on his computer, logging and analyzing data that may one day help save a species from extinction.

Morris St. Angelo
Cosmetic Restoration – Utah Arm, Myoelectric Elbow and Flexion Wrist     

For many people, retirement means finally having time to pursue hobbies and sports. Morris St. Angelo, a retired business owner and a current non-denominational pastor in Louisiana, was out fishing in October 1996. While trying to free his boat from a sandbar, he fell into the motor of his boat, severely injuring his right arm. The Coast Guard spent three hours trying to rescue him. Fortunately, his blood loss was minimal and Morris was able to stay conscious until help arrived. At the hospital, surgeons amputated his arm midway between his elbow and shoulder.

After dealing with the trauma of the accident, Morris expected to get a prosthesis and move on with his life. Unfortunately, the doctors he saw were of little help and often gave him inaccurate information. Morris decided to put his business skills to use and began researching prostheses on his own. After extensive research, he determined that a myoelectric arm was the best option. He went into his initial fittings with high hopes; however, the arm he was originally offered did not allow him to continue the activities he enjoyed before his accident – the elbow on the arm was not strong enough to allow him his usual range of motion. Because Morris is more than six feet tall, it didn’t have the power to let him pick a book up off the table and it looked as awkward as it felt.

Though disappointed, Morris didn’t give up. He did more research and asked people in the industry where he could find devices and treatment that could be more specialized to his needs – his research led him to Advanced Arm Dynamics. The Advanced Arm Dynamics team evaluated Morris and fit him with a myoelectric elbow, wrist and hand. Morris says Advanced Arm Dynamics provided everything he needed – a caring staff who understood his needs and the technical resources to meet them.

Morris says if he had his way, all orthopedic surgeons would work with people from a company like Advanced Arm Dynamics to ensure amputations are done in such a way that will make future prosthetic use as comfortable as possible. “Advanced Arm Dynamics has been great… They go above and beyond when it comes to helping patients get what they need. It’s important to have someone good helping you make that recovery.”

Corinne Murray 
Cosmetic Restoration – Myoelectric Prosthesis  

When Corinne Murray was only five years old, she severely injured her hand on a riding lawnmower. Her mother then faced a difficult decision – preserve the damaged hand, which would be nonfunctional for the rest of Corinne’s life, or amputate it and replace the child’s hand with a prosthesis. She eventually decided to have Corrine’s hand amputated.

After a six-month healing period, Corinne was fit with the most common prosthetic hand, resembling a hook, which suited her tomboy lifestyle.

As Corinne grew up, she wanted something more sophisticated that looked more like a real hand. She chose a myoelectric prosthesis from Advanced Arm Dynamics. Her new prosthesis is muscle-powered and opens and closes with the help of sensors.

“This is great because I can walk down the street and I don’t get the looks and stares I got when I was wearing my old prosthesis,” Corinne says. “It’s boosted my self image a lot. The most important thing to me in a prosthesis now that I’m older is the cosmetic part of it. I’ve had this one for a year and a half and I couldn’t be happier.”

Corinne also has high praise for the personalized service she received at Advanced Arm Dynamics. "My relationships with my health care providers are very important to me, because I have dealt with so many in my lifetime and I find many of them do not listen.”

Corinne really appreciated the honest, straightforward approach of the Advanced Arm Dynamics specialists, as well as their technological abilities.

"My prosthetist at Advanced Arm Dynamics told me from the beginning what was possible and what was not possible without giving me the runaround. I was surprised and thrilled at the technology available at Advanced Arm Dynamics.”

Corinne offers encouragement to those just beginning to recover from a severe injury. “There is no reason for anybody who has had an accident and lost a limb to go without help because there are so many things that can be done now."

Michael Boland  
Cosmetic Restoration – Body-powered Prosthesis   

On Memorial Day in 1980, 47-year-old Michael Boland, lost his left arm in an off-road accident when he was pinned between the vehicle frame and the tire. Doctors had no choice but to amputate his arm below the elbow. Michael, who is also hearing impaired, doesn’t think people should let a missing limb or hearing loss stop them from doing what they love best. The key, he believes, is finding the right prosthesis and additional equipment to put your dreams within reach.

Michael did not feel comfortable with the initial prosthetist who saw him after the accident. In Michael’s words, the prosthetist “didn’t seem to care much.” In searching for a closer relationship with a prosthetist and a therapist who would help him adapt to living as a below-elbow amputee, Michael called Advanced Arm Dynamics.

“Advanced Arm Dynamics helped me deal with the insurance company. As soon as the insurance company approved my body-powered prosthesis, it was ready in a week.”

After receiving his prosthesis, Michael focused on learning how to use the device so he could return to his job repairing aircrafts; he loves planes, whether he’s repairing them, flying them or jumping out of them. Currently he works as an FAA Airframe and Powerplant rated mechanic for American Airlines at its Alliance Texas 777/767 aircraft overhaul base in Dallas. Michael also holds an FAA private pilot’s rating. With his new prosthetic arm and special equipment to compensate for his hearing impairment, Michael passed a special flight test with the Oregon FAA Flight Standards District Office. He’s flying single-engine Cessnas and loving every minute of it.

In addition to his accomplishments as a pilot and mechanic, Michael is an accomplished skydiver. He is a member of “Pieces of Eight,” an amputee skydiving team. He and his teammates jump to raise awareness for amputees. “At air shows, when people talk about parachuting, they always talk about the US Army’s ‘Golden Knight,’” Michael says. “You never see any disabled people. We need to change that because missing a limb doesn’t stop you from enjoying what life has to offer.”