Abstract

The broad long-term objectives of this application are to develop new interface and socket materials that overcome the detrimental effects of residual limb shape change on artificial limb users. The materials will accommodate changes in residual limb shape and reduce the occurrence of skin breakdown.
The specific aims are directed at interface mechanics, materials, and tissue response. Interface stresses during ambulation as well as diurnal and long-term residual limb shape changes will be measured on individuals with below-knee amputation. Analysis will focus on assessment of changes in interface stress as well as residual limb shape over time. The interface stress and residual limb shape data will then be used to enhance an analytical model to predict interface stress changes resulting from shape fluctuations. The model and a quantitative relationship between interface stress and time-to-breakdown in skin will then be used to evaluate tissue response for existing and new treatment methods for overcoming the detrimental effects of residual limb shape change. The health relatedness of the project is to improve the health and function of persons with amputations. The development of prosthetic interface and socket materials that overcome the detrimental effects of residual limb shape change and ultimately prevent skin breakdown will help to prevent secondary disability and morbidity in the amputee population. The objectives will be addressed using a combination of experimental and analytical techniques. Experimentally, on human amputee subjects interface pressures and shear stresses as well as residual limb shape will be measured at regular intervals over a 1-year period in clinical data collection sessions using custom-designed instrumentation. Analytically, the finite element modeling method will be used to predict skin response for different treatment methods designed to overcome the detrimental effects of diurnal and long-term residual limb shape changes, including addition/removal of socks, off-the-shelf inflatable inserts, custom-designed inflatable inserts, and smart materials.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01HD031445-06A1
Application #
2747974
Study Section
Geriatrics and Rehabilitation Medicine (GRM)
Program Officer
Quatrano, Louis A
Project Start
1994-01-01
Project End
2003-12-31
Budget Start
1999-01-01
Budget End
1999-12-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Washington
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Engineering
DUNS #
135646524
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195

  Publications

Zachariah, Santosh G; Sorenson, Elizabeth; Sanders, Joan E (2005) A method for aligning trans-tibial residual limb shapes so as to identify regions of shape change. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 13:551-7
Sanders, J E; Zachariah, S G; Jacobsen, A K et al. (2005) Changes in interface pressures and shear stresses over time on trans-tibial amputee subjects ambulating with prosthetic limbs: comparison of diurnal and six-month differences. J Biomech 38:1566-73
Zachariah, Santosh G; Saxena, Rakesh; Fergason, John R et al. (2004) Shape and volume change in the transtibial residuum over the short term: preliminary investigation of six subjects. J Rehabil Res Dev 41:683-94
Sanders, Joan E; Nicholson, Brian S; Zachariah, Santosh G et al. (2004) Testing of elastomeric liners used in limb prosthetics: classification of 15 products by mechanical performance. J Rehabil Res Dev 41:175-86
Wang, Y-N; Sanders, J E (2003) How does skin adapt to repetitive mechanical stress to become load tolerant? Med Hypotheses 61:29-35
Sanders, Joan E; Mitchell, Stuart B; Zachariah, Santosh G et al. (2003) A digitizer with exceptional accuracy for use in prosthetics research: a technical note. J Rehabil Res Dev 40:191-5
Hafner, Brian J; Sanders, Joan E; Czerniecki, Joseph et al. (2002) Energy storage and return prostheses: does patient perception correlate with biomechanical analysis? Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon) 17:325-44
Sanders, J E; Fergason, J R; Zachariah, S G et al. (2002) Interface pressure and shear stress changes with amputee weight loss: case studies from two trans-tibial amputee subjects. Prosthet Orthot Int 26:243-50
Saxena, Rakesh; Zachariah, Santosh G; Sanders, Joan E (2002) Processing computer tomography bone data for prosthetic finite element modeling: a technical note. J Rehabil Res Dev 39:609-14
Sanders, Joan E; Mitchell, Stuart B; Wang, Yak-Nam et al. (2002) An explant model for the investigation of skin adaptation to mechanical stress. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 49:1626-31

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