A research team developed an adaptable temporary transradial prosthetic socket capable of multidimensional adjustments and easy user fitting to capitalize on the ideal time for prosthesis fitting. According to the researchers, a “golden period” within the first month after an upper-limb amputation can maximize the possibility for a patient’s return to daily life and allow for early prosthetic training.
The researchers 3D printed the open-source BeneFit socket with two layers, a hard outer shell, and a soft inner cushioning layer. The prototype could host all relevant myoelectric hand components, its diameter and length could be changed, and it could be considered lightweight. Satisfaction with the socket was evaluated in a monocentric, explorative study with prosthesis users and experts in the field.
According to the survey, the prototype was perceived as satisfactory with respect to user needs and expectations of the experts. Weight, ease in donning and doffing, and breathability were rated particularly well, but an improved, more versatile, and smaller design is needed for broad clinical use, the study’s authors concluded.
The open-access study, “Design, construction, and evaluation of the BeneFit socket: An adjustable temporary socket for a transradial prosthesis,” was published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International.
