According to a report, Targeted Muscle Reinnervation is a novel technique that may help people with hand and arm amputations move their prosthetic limbs more naturally. With this technique, the nerves which normally control muscles in the arm and hand are rerouted surgically to connect with muscles in the chest. Electrodes help to pick up the muscle contractions that occur in the chest and transmit movement signals to the artificial arm. The prosthetic limb responds with the intended movement when an amputee goes to move a missing arm or hand. Dr. Todd A. Kuiken and colleagues from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, compared arm function of five amputees who had undergone targeted muscle reinnervation with that of five non-amputated subjects. The subjects were asked to perform several arm movements, and the time necessary to perform each of those movements was recorded. The team found that times needed for amputated subjects to perform various wrist, elbow and hand movements were similar to those seen in the non-amputated group.