Breakthrough Could Enable At-Home 3D Printed Prosthetic Socket Manufacturing

3D printing has shown itself to be one of the most promising technologies in the medical sector thanks to its ability to create customizable solutions. This has made it especially popular for the creation of prosthetics and orthotics, which obviously need to be made to fit each individual person. Nevertheless, obstacles still remain, notably the fact that these 3D printed prosthetics still must be made in the hospital, making their use less widespread. But new research could change all that. Researchers from Loughborough University have announced a breakthrough in the creation of 3D printed prosthetic sockets with a fully digital design-to-manufacturing process which could ultimately allow lower limb prosthetic sockets to be printed in remote locations or even users’ homes.

Those of us not in the medical field may now be asking what exactly is a prosthetic socket? Well, as its name suggests, it is the device that joins the residual limb, or stump, to the prosthesis. For this reason, they are critical in ensuring a good fit for users, as poorly fitted ones can lead to stability and skin issues. The problem, however, is that, due to this, they are time- and labor-consuming to make. With each one requiring a high level of expertise and taking at least three to six weeks. Not only that, but they must be replaced regularly as they wear down quickly: about three to six months for adults and even more often for children.

Dr. Simin Li and his team are working on creating 3D printed prosthetic limb sockets

But access can be difficult, especially in areas with less available healthcare, like in remote or poor communities. This is where the research from Loughborough University, led by Dr. Simin Li, a Senior Lecturer in Mechanics of Biomaterials in the School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering, comes in. He and his team have created a digital process that would allow for limb socket production through the use of 3D printing even outside of hospital settings.