Despite increasingly widespread adoption of vacuum-assisted suspension systems in prosthetic clinical practices, there remain gaps in the body of scientific knowledge guiding clinicians' choices of existing products. In this study, we identified important pump-performance metrics and developed techniques to objectively characterize the evacuation performance of prosthetic vacuum pumps. The sens...

BACKGROUND Persons with amputation and residual limb wounds would benefit from the ability to continue wearing a prosthesis while healing. Sockets with vacuum-assisted suspension may reduce intra-socket motion and be less disruptive to wound healing. The purpose of this case series was to measure residual limb wound size over time in persons with transtibial amputation while using prostheses wi...

The suspension system and socket fitting of artificial limbs have major roles and vital effects on the comfort, mobility, and satisfaction of amputees. This paper introduces a new pneumatic suspension system that overcomes the drawbacks of current suspension systems in donning and doffing, change in volume during daily activities, and pressure distribution in the socket-stump interface. An air ...

Forty-three (43) trans-tibial prostheses with a mean period of use of 33 months were evaluated in terms of utilisation and durability. The majority of the prostheses (80%) were worn by amputees with demanding occupations, such as farmers, fishermen and tradesmen. The prostheses were in use approximately 9 hours per day. No major or frequent breakdowns of the polypropylene prosthetic components ...

OBJECTIVE Determine the efficacy of a novel surgical technique to salvage a through-elbow amputation and avoid revision transhumeral amputation. METHODS A 23-year-old soldier presented after sustaining a through-elbow amputation in a close-range blast injury with inadequate soft tissues to obtain closure over the distal humerus. A 2-cm anterior incision was made and a shortening osteotomy wit...

A pulsatile pressure-flow model was developed for in vitro quantitative color Doppler flow mapping studies of valvular regurgitation. The flow through the system was generated by a piston which was driven by stepper motors controlled by a computer. The piston was connected to acrylic chambers designed to simulate "ventricular" and "atrial" heart chambers. Inside the "ventricular" chamber, a pro...