An artificial device designed to replace a missing body part, such as a limb, tooth, eye, or internal organ. Prostheses restore function and often appearance to improve quality of life.
From Greek 'prosthesis' meaning 'an addition' or 'attachment,' derived from 'pros' (toward) and 'tithenai' (to place). The medical use dates back to ancient times when wooden legs and ivory teeth were crafted for amputees.
The oldest known prosthesis is a 3,000-year-old wooden toe found on an Egyptian mummy, complete with a hinge joint that actually functioned for walking! Modern prostheses are becoming incredibly sophisticated, with some controlled by neural signals that allow amputees to feel sensations and control movement with their thoughts.
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