The Fabrication of Prosthetic Sockets with New Thermoplastic ...

THE FABRICATION OF PROSTHETIC SOCKETS WITH NEWTHERMOPLASTIC WOVEN FABRICSLee Sukmin, Song Jeomsik, Jung Sunghee,Cha Gookchan, Mun MuseongKorea Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Engineering CenterABSTRACTThermoplastics and fiber reinforcedplastics(FRPs) have been used widely assocket materials for either lower or upperlimb prostheses. The sockets throughlamination and sockets from direct castingare good examples of FRP sockets. TheFRPs are basically composed of fiber and athermosetting resin such as acrylates orepoxy materials as binding matrix. The glassor carbon fibers replacing cotton and Kevlarare lightweight, and show a goodimpregnation with resin and a good thermaldurability against frictional heat generated inthe process of grinding for fabrication ofsockets.typical epoxy resin was used to impregnatecarbon and PVA fiber, and the resin contentsimpregnated in the fabrics and the strengthof the cured materials for sockets weremeasured. The impregnation with resin wasdetermined by preparing same sized fabric,impregnating with the resin, measuring theweight after curing and comparing the resincontents. To investigate the shape and sizeof debris particles of carbon fiber and PVAfiber, the particles produced during grindingwere collected and observed withmicroscopy. We lastly fabricated prostheticsockets with new PVA fabrics and epoxyresin, and carried out the performance test asa prosthetic socket.Carbon fiber widely used as the compositematerial is good as the socket material oflimb prostheses in physical property andsocket performance. However, workers tendto avoid it due to skin or respiratory troubledue to the debris particles of fibers whichare made during grinding in fabrication ofsockets. We thus attempted in this study tomake prosthetic sockets using woven fabricsof a new thermoplastic material, which canreduce skin irritation in contact, with stilloffering the good mechanical property anddurability of sockets.As fibers that we used as the compositematerials were carbon fibers and new PVAfibers for performance comparison. TheThe matrix of cured PVA fibers maintainsthe good strength for the socket. ComparingPVA fiber with carbon fiber, PVA fibershows competent value as socket material intensile strength. PVA fiber has about 20%more resin contents than carbon fiber, andshows similar results in the flexure strengthtest. When observing debris particlesgenerated in the grinding operation, PVAfiber particles do not appear separately fromthe matrix, and their scattering in the air canbe reduced effectively. The surfacetreatment for PVA fiber was effectivelyconducted to obtain improved adhesion andimpregnation of fiber and matrix. Thesockets fabricated using PVA fiber andepoxy enable to give good mechanicalAmerican Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists37 th Academy Annual Meeting andScientific SymposiumMarch 16-19, 2011

properties and durability in limb prostheticperformance.American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists37 th Academy Annual Meeting andScientific SymposiumMarch 16-19, 2011