Preliminary characterization of rectification for transradial prosthetic sockets

Area of Science:

• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Effective prosthesis use relies on accurate socket fit, yet digital socket design lacks standardization and has a steep learning curve.
• Existing research on digital socket design primarily targets lower-limb prostheses, leaving a gap in upper-limb applications.
• The transradial socket design process, particularly for the Northwestern-style socket, requires further characterization for improved systematic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the design (rectification) process for the three-quarter Northwestern-style transradial socket.
• To lay the groundwork for a more systematic, data-driven approach to upper-limb prosthetic socket design.
• To identify common modification zones and quantify shape changes during socket rectification.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of 14 pairs of unrectified and rectified plaster models of transradial sockets.
• Shape analysis to identify common rectification zones.
• Novel 3D vector mapping technique to analyze shape changes in anterior-posterior and proximal-distal directions.

Main Results:

• Six common rectification zones were identified, with plaster addition being most significant in volume and surface area.
• 3D vector mapping revealed that shape modifications predominantly occurred in the anterior-posterior and proximal-distal directions.
• Consistent interquartile ranges for volume, surface deviation, and 3D vector representation across rectification zones were observed.

Conclusions:

• Initial findings suggest the potential for quantitative modeling of the transradial socket design process.
• This research opens possibilities for developing tools to categorize and predict socket designs using machine learning.
• Further development could lead to more standardized and predictable prosthetic socket design, benefiting a wider range of patients.