The world’s first artificial leg capable of simulating the feelings of a real limb and fighting phantom pain was unveiled by researchers in Vienna on Monday. The innovation is the result of a two-fold process, developed by Professor Hubert Egger at the University of Linz in northern Austria. Six sensors were then fitted to the foot sole of a lightweight prosthesis, and linked to so-called stimulators inside the shaft where the stump sits.

By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) – In recent years, as weight loss surgeries have been on the rise, so have procedures like tummy tucks, breast lifts, thigh lifts and upper arm lifts, which are usually associated with significant weight loss, according to new data from the American Society of Plastic Surgery (ASPS). “We’re seeing exponential growth in concurrent surgeries, and we’re realizing that this is really a continuum of care for these patients,” said ASPS President Dr. Scot Glasberg, a private-practice plastic surgeon based in Manhattan, New York. “Hanging skin can be very painful and get in the way for daily activities,” Glasberg told Reuters Health by phone.