Effects of a wearable exoskeleton stride management assist system (SMA®) on spatiotemporal gait characteristics in individuals after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Robots offer an alternative, potentially advantageous method of providing repetitive, high-dosage, and high-intensity training to address the gait impairments caused by stroke. In this study, we compared the effects of the Stride Management Assist (SMA®) System, a new wearable robotic device developed by Honda R&D Corporation, Japan, with functional task specific training (FTST) on spatiotemporal gait parameters in stroke survivors.

Methods: A single blinded randomized control trial was performed to assess the effect of FTST and task-specific walking training with the SMA® device on spatiotemporal gait parameters.

Regeneration of diaphyseal bone defects using resorbable poly(L/DL-lactide) and poly(D-lactide) membranes in the Yucatan pig model.

Objectives: To determine the effects of tubular resorbable polymer membranes on the healing of a segmental diaphyseal bone defect.

Design: A randomized prospective study using the minipig model. Animals were evaluated with in vivo roentgenograms on a biweekly basis until explanted at twelve weeks.