Medical Implant Innovation: John DesJardins at TEDxGreenville 2014

Patients are granted renewed hope and vigor with medical implants born in Clemson University's Bioengineering Department. John DesJardins tells us about the growing number of total knee replacements, and how things can go wrong due to infections or other complications. This may result in a hard choice for patients — be wheelchair bound, have the knee fused so it doesn't bend, or amputation. A very tough choice, indeed. He then reveals how researchers at Clemson invented a new knee implant that allows a fourth, more functional, option. It's not a fully functional knee, but allows the patient to lock and unlock the fused knee for greater comfort and convenience. Looking into the future, he sees more and more functional prostheses, where patients will be able to adjust their 'bionics'.

This talk was part of TEDxGreenville UNZIPPED, held April 11, 2014, at the Kroc Center in Greenville, South Carolina. For more information about John and his co-presenters, please visit

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