Man amputates dysfunctional arm to get world-first prosthetic limb

A Lithuanian man has had his dysfunctional arm amputated in order to receive a world-first prosthetic limb controlled by a chip in his brain.

Martynas Girulis, 21, was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare congenital disorder that leads to a stiffening of the joints and muscles of the hands and feet, leaving him unable to walk.

Despite undergoing multiple operations since childhood which eventually gave him the use of his legs, Mr Girulis turned to Austrian surgeon Professor Oskar Aszmann for help after surgery failed to give him control of his hand.

The pioneering procedure, which Mr Girulis underwent last week in Austrian capital Vienna, involved the patient agreeing to remove his arm and implanting a chip in his brain which allows impulses to be sent to the prosthetic limb.

The surgery cost $168,000, with the Lithuanian government paying 80 percent while the rest was covered through donations.