What if surgery and virtual reality could dramatically reduce phantom limb pain?
On this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Dr. Glenn Gaston, orthopedic hand and upper-extremity surgeon, to explore groundbreaking innovations in amputee care — including the Starfish Procedure and a virtual reality treatment for phantom limb pain.
Dr. Gaston shares how a life-changing patient experience led him to build a dedicated amputee clinic and push beyond century-old methods of care. We dive into:
- The Starfish Procedure — restoring individual finger control for partial hand amputees
- A non-opioid VR therapy that reduces phantom limb pain by up to 50% in a single session
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) and advances in prosthetic control
- How VR retrains the brain after limb loss
- Osseointegration and emerging sensory prosthetic technology
- The international Brecon Conference coming to Charlotte this April
- Arms for All and expanding access to upper-limb prosthetics – https://armsforall.org/
Dr. Gaston also shares his journey into amputee care, the inspiration behind his innovations, and why collaboration between surgeons, prosthetists, therapists, and mental health professionals is shaping the future of limb loss recovery.
If you or someone you love is living with limb loss, chronic pain, or exploring prosthetic options — this conversation offers real hope and cutting-edge insight.
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Watch on YouTube
Listen on Spotify
Abram Baker is many things, including a welder and massive car enthusiast. In 2019, he suffered a horrific industrial accident that took his left hand. That hasn’t stopped him from continuing with his welding or stopped him from working [...]
Hillary has been a physical therapist for over 24 years in the Philadelphia area, working primarily in the home care setting with the geriatric population. She was inspired to write a story to help young children overcome their fears [...]
In this episode of the We're not Stumped podcast, I get to speak to the inventor of the TheraV Elix and company founder Amira Radović. As a child, Amira was inspired to become a biomedical engineer by her father, [...]
