Alternate Control Technology Methodologies for Cybernetic Prosthesis: Difference between revisions

<br>When the patient was successfully evacuated to a specialized medical facility, extensive surgical intervention was required to successfully remove subsequent necrotic tissue from the original injury site prior to the installation of a type eleven scapula supplement mount, connected across the remaining bone tissue with microsutures and several hundred tritanium self-sealing micro-anchors.  The brachial plexus was found to be in acceptable condition to support a standard neuro-servo control interface, although the axial and ulnar nerve sheaths had been damaged.  The interface was surgically implanted and tested successfully by the attending surgeon at the time.  During subsequent physical reconditioning, the patient expressed frustration and discomfort, which required additional therapeutic focus to overcome.  After several weeks, she was discharged and returned to duty with instructions to work closely with her shipboard medical staff for any further issues.

<br>Later, however, the patient awoke in significant physical discomfort and found that the prosthetic was no longer functioning in an acceptable manner.  In the course of seeking medical attention, the prosthetic malfunctioned significantly, causing the patient severe radiating pain and a total loss of limbic motor control.  Comprehensive medical examination revealed the prosthetic itself had been severely damaged by the high energy discharges, and this damage had spread to the neuro-servo control interface and the brachial plexus nerves themselves, causing significant peripheral neuropathy.  Coupled with the existing damage to the nerve tissues, this prevented the patient from generating adequate nervous system feedback to activate and control a standard neuro-servo interface, even after the damaged unit was removed and replaced.  Her prognosis for recovery and return to duty at this point was non-favorable.   

<br>Several Starfleet engineers serving with the patient became aware of her condition and began examining the data provided by attending medical staff regarding the component malfunctions.  Working in tandem with medical staff, the engineers began a comprehensive disassembly of the patient’s prosthetic, with which they already had some familiarity due to improvised repairs and upgrades conducted at an earlier juncture.  They discovered that numerous control components of the original prosthetic were severely damaged and began laboring to extract them in an attempt to save the existing unit.  In the course of their repairs, the nature and extent of the damage to the patient’s nervous system became clear, which led the team to the conclusion that standard surgical approaches were insufficient.  In an effort to provide an immediate, workable solution, the Engineering team approached the patient’s injuries in the same manner in which they’d approach shipboard damage control efforts - they attempted to bypass the damaged systems and reroute the nervous system control impulses.  After performing a series of simulations to verify their hypothesis, the Engineering team began modifying a pair of subspace transceivers to serve as a replacement for the standard neuro-servo control interface that would not rely on the damaged brachial nerves.  Subsequent assembly and testing was conducted rapidly and, post repairs, the patient was again able to manipulate her prosthetic effectively and without accidental input or injury.