Kalasin Hospital’s Below Knee Prosthesis Innovation

Abstract

In the process of making below knee prosthesis, the customization of the cast is one of the most importance procedures, as the cast needs to be shaped exactly like the real stump in order for the plastics socket and soft insert to fit the prosthetics. At present, most below knee prosthetic casts are made from plaster. This process can be time-consuming. Pe-Lite (foam made from polyethylene) is commonly used to make soft inserts. Traditionally made prosthetic casts are usually destroyed after the soft inserts are removed. This process is harmful to the environment by generating unnecessary waste. In this regards, Kalasin Hospital’s below knee prosthesis innovation had been developed to find alternatives to the traditional soft insert materials, and to help reduce the waste generated from prosthesis production. This innovative design allowed us to produce multiple prostheses with a single mold instead of having to destroy them after only single use. This development was inspired by the first innovation that experimented with the use of alternative materials instead of traditional plaster casts. This advanced procedure had reduced the time and expense of production; providing same-day service to disabled patients with below-knee prosthesis, and significantly improving the clients’ satisfaction. This study had resulted in a much more environmentally friendly product without sacrificing the quality of the original. Currently, this product technology has been passed on to prosthesis personnel in other hospitals who have been able to reproduce the prosthesis and improve the lives of disabled people in rural communities by providing artificial limbs through mobile prosthesis units.