When you are fabricating a socket with a flexible brim, you can fabricate so that you only have the flexibility where you need it and cut out half the weight. This method of fabricating produces the Gano' socket. The method was introduced to me by a prosthetist from Florida named Charlie Gano. Fabrication Instructions: Prep and smooth your model. Make sure that there are no blemishes on the model because they will transfer to the inside of the plastic and lamination. Choose the type and thickness of plastic that you want for the flexible brim. The Gano socket will work with most types of flexible plastic. The key is to make sure the resin you use for laminating doesn't stick to the plastic. Heat plastic at the proper heating temperature and pull over the model. Pull plastic directly over the model; do not use nylon under the plastic! You can blister-form or drape-form the flexible plastic. Note: Drape-forming uses less plastic and ensures that equal thickness is achieved, plus it saves money!Once the plastic has cooled, measure from the distal end of the model and cut circumferentially around the model. Make the cut as straight as possible and leave the cut edge of the plastic as is; do not buff the edge! Measure up from the cut edge of the flexible plastic one inch. Using a hole saw one to one and one-half inches in size, cut three or four holes, spacing them evenly around the plastic. Again, leave the edges of the holes sharp; do not buff the edges. If you buff the edges, the plastic will not lock into the lamination and will not work! Repair the plaster model if any defects occurred during the cutting of the flexible liner. Seal the plaster with your favorite mold sealer and pull the inner PVA bag. Place the flexible liner back on the plaster model over the inner PVA bag. Note: You will be laminating right over the flexible plastic. Cut two pieces of Dacron felt for each hole in the plastic , in circles a quarter-inch to a half-inch bigger than the holes in the flexible plastic. Place them in the holes. This will give some structure to the resin that will fill in the holes in the plastic. Lay up your lamination per your laminating standards for the patient's height, weight and activity level. Place your valve appropriately, if you are using one. Make sure that your lamination is completely wetted out and that the holes are fully saturated. After the lamination is cured, cut to the proper trim lines and buff the proximal edges of both the socket and the flexible liner. Now you have a flexible brimmed socket with only half of the weight. Scott Tracewell is a technician and vice president, Fabtech Systems LLC.
When you are fabricating a socket with a flexible brim, you can fabricate so that you only have the flexibility where you need it and cut out half the weight. This method of fabricating produces the Gano' socket. The method was introduced to me by a prosthetist from Florida named Charlie Gano. Fabrication Instructions: Prep and smooth your model. Make sure that there are no blemishes on the model because they will transfer to the inside of the plastic and lamination. Choose the type and thickness of plastic that you want for the flexible brim. The Gano socket will work with most types of flexible plastic. The key is to make sure the resin you use for laminating doesn't stick to the plastic. Heat plastic at the proper heating temperature and pull over the model. Pull plastic directly over the model; do not use nylon under the plastic! You can blister-form or drape-form the flexible plastic. Note: Drape-forming uses less plastic and ensures that equal thickness is achieved, plus it saves money!Once the plastic has cooled, measure from the distal end of the model and cut circumferentially around the model. Make the cut as straight as possible and leave the cut edge of the plastic as is; do not buff the edge! Measure up from the cut edge of the flexible plastic one inch. Using a hole saw one to one and one-half inches in size, cut three or four holes, spacing them evenly around the plastic. Again, leave the edges of the holes sharp; do not buff the edges. If you buff the edges, the plastic will not lock into the lamination and will not work! Repair the plaster model if any defects occurred during the cutting of the flexible liner. Seal the plaster with your favorite mold sealer and pull the inner PVA bag. Place the flexible liner back on the plaster model over the inner PVA bag. Note: You will be laminating right over the flexible plastic. Cut two pieces of Dacron felt for each hole in the plastic , in circles a quarter-inch to a half-inch bigger than the holes in the flexible plastic. Place them in the holes. This will give some structure to the resin that will fill in the holes in the plastic. Lay up your lamination per your laminating standards for the patient's height, weight and activity level. Place your valve appropriately, if you are using one. Make sure that your lamination is completely wetted out and that the holes are fully saturated. After the lamination is cured, cut to the proper trim lines and buff the proximal edges of both the socket and the flexible liner. Now you have a flexible brimmed socket with only half of the weight. Scott Tracewell is a technician and vice president, Fabtech Systems LLC.