As part of a multicenter study, Craig Hospital is reportedly the first of three leading rehabilitation centers in the US to receive Indego, a powered lower-limb orthosis. The exoskeleton is built to allow gait-impaired individuals to stand and walk, while also enabling clinicians to conduct overground, task-specific gait training
In the release, Craig also articulates its pride in being selected to be part of the Indego trial and work with Parker Hannifin, the manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems that announced it had entered into trial agreements with the participating rehabilitation centers in March of 2014. The other centers that have been selected to participate in the Indego trial include the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, NYU Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation, and Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
Candy Tefertiller, director of Physical Therapy at Craig Hospital, notes that the facility is excited to “test a device that can be used as a therapy tool but [also] a mobility-assistive device that patients will be able to take home eventually.”
The release states that Indego trainers from Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which serves as Parker’s lead rehabilitation center for clinical testing of the device, has trained a selected team at Craig Hospital.
Achilleas Dorotheou, head of the human motion and control business unit for Parker, articulates the company’s excitement to begin its trial at Craig Hospital. “The team here will play a critical role in collecting meaningful performance data. Our objective is to bring Indego to market to enable people who were told they would never walk again, to stand upright and walk and provide a new level of independence.” The company will be working with some of the most respected rehabilitation clinicians and researchers in the nation, Dorotheou adds, to collect evidence of Indego’s safety, as well as evidence that proves its tangible and economic benefit.
Mike Fordyce, CEO, Craig Hospital, emphasizes that it is key that the hospital offer not only the highest quality of care, but also provide its patients with the latest in technology and research.
“We look forward to working with the new Indego and seeing how it can help those we serve,” Fordyce says.
According to the release, Indego is available in the US only for investigational use until FDA approval has been obtained, which is anticipated for mid 2015.
[Source: Craig Hospital]
