A New Socket Prototype Design with a Heat-Exchanging Metal Layer for Individuals with Below-knee Amputation.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Thermal Management

Background:

• Prosthetic sockets create a closed environment, leading to heat and sweat buildup in lower limb amputees.
• This discomfort disrupts natural cooling, causing increased skin temperature and potential skin issues.
• Existing prosthetic solutions often fail to adequately address thermal challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer and evaluate a novel prosthetic socket designed to mitigate heat accumulation.
• To enhance thermal comfort and reduce heat sensation for individuals with below-knee amputations.
• To investigate the efficacy of an integrated cooling system within a prosthetic socket.

Main Methods:

• A new socket was fabricated using copper via electroforming, based on a residual limb model.
• An active cooling system was integrated, programmed to activate above a set temperature threshold.
• Residual limb skin temperature was monitored using a data logger during trials with conventional and new sockets.

Main Results:

• The new socket design resulted in a significant temperature reduction of 5°C to 6°C within the socket.
• This temperature decrease led to markedly improved thermal comfort for the user.
• A substantial reduction in the sensation of heat was reported by the participant.

Conclusions:

• The developed prosthetic socket with an integrated cooling system effectively reduces heat buildup.
• This innovation offers a promising solution for improving the quality of life for amputees.
• Further research can explore wider application and optimization of this thermal management technology.