COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ADJUSTABLE TRANSFEMORAL PROSTHETIC INTERFACE ACCOMMODATING VOLUME FLUCTUATION: CASE...

Area of Science:

• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• The socket-limb interface is critical for amputee stability and mobility.
• Volume fluctuations in the residual limb compromise prosthetic socket fit and function.
• Current prosthetic socket technology lacks effective accommodation for volume changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of an adjustable transfemoral prosthetic socket against the standard of care (SOC) ischial ramus containment socket.
• To evaluate the sockets' ability to accommodate residual limb volume fluctuations.
• To assess improvements in subjective and performance outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective experimental case study design was utilized.
• Repeated measures of subjective and performance outcomes were collected for both socket conditions.
• The study compared a standard of care socket with an adjustable transfemoral prosthetic interface socket.

Main Results:

• The adjustable socket showed significant improvements (19%-37%) in subjective and performance measures compared to SOC in baseline conditions.
• In volume loss conditions, the adjustable socket improved outcomes by 22%-93%.
• The adjustable socket successfully accommodated simulated volume gain, while the SOC socket failed.

Conclusions:

• The adjustable transfemoral prosthetic interface socket demonstrated superior subjective and performance outcomes compared to the standard of care.
• Adjustable sockets offer a potential solution for managing volume fluctuations in transfemoral amputees.
• Further clinical trials are needed to validate these findings and compare functional outcomes related to volume fluctuation.