Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in prosthetics.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Commercially available computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems are now used for designing and manufacturing limb prostheses.
• Rigorous evaluations comparing CAD/CAM-designed sockets with conventionally made sockets are lacking.
• The fit and efficacy of CAD/CAM-generated prosthetic sockets require thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of CAD/CAM systems in producing prosthetic sockets.
• To compare the fit of CAD/CAM-designed sockets against conventionally designed sockets.
• To assess patient and prosthetist experiences with CAD/CAM technology in transtibial prosthetics.

Main Methods:

• Development and pilot testing of a controlled evaluation protocol for comparing computer-designed and conventionally designed sockets.
• Initiation of a full trial for a commercial CAD/CAM system for transtibial sockets.
• Inclusion of patient preference and prosthetist suitability assessments within the trial.

Main Results:

• Preliminary findings indicate that one-half of the initial 20 subjects preferred the CAD/CAM-designed socket.
• The CAD/CAM technique's suitability appears to vary among prosthetists.
• Ongoing trial data collection is expected to provide more comprehensive results.

Conclusions:

• CAD/CAM technology offers a new approach to prosthetic socket fabrication with potential benefits.
• Patient preference for CAD/CAM sockets is currently divided, suggesting further research is needed.
• The successful adoption of CAD/CAM systems may depend on individual prosthetist proficiency and adaptation.