Update #1
With the assistance of Dr. Curci, we have been researching and exploring the problem space. We are trying to control edema in patients with leg amputations, without impacting skin perfusion in the process. Edema, the buildup of fluid in cavities or tissues of the body, can be very detrimental to amputees, as it can change the shape of their leg, making it difficult to fit for prosthetics. Currently, patients are treated post-operation with a bandage wrapped with ACE bandaging, an elastic bandage used to stabilize large wounds or muscle pain. However, despite being easy to implement and applying significant pressure, the amount of pressure applied can often be too much, causing a lack of skin perfusion. This means that oxygen is not reaching parts of the tissue due to the increased pressure and fluid blocking its ability to do so, and it is resulting in tissue necrosis.
Therefore, we have been researching on the ways we can develop a model for a prosthetic sleeve that can apply just the right amount of pressure. We have looked at several previous attempts to solve this problem. These include:
- Vacuum Suspension Prosthetics (VAAS)
- https://www.scheckandsiress.com/patient-information/care-and-use-of-your-device/knee-prosthesis-vacuum-assisted-socket-system-vass/
- MCOP Elevated Vacuum Socket
- https://mcopro.com/blog/vacuum-socket/
- Micro-currents and Bioimpedance
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18247249
We are going to use these as insight on the best possible treatment plan, and see how these more modifiable techniques could be used in junction with sensors as guidance. We hope to decide on a prototype and get a visual design with actual measurements in the near future.