Advanced Materials to Improve Moisture Management for Prosthetic Socket Liners

在现代假肢学中，吸力衬垫提供了与刚性假体的机械连接 通过皮肤牵引或抽吸“握住”患者的残肢。 传统上，衬里是由不透水的材料制成的，例如 硅胶和聚亚安酯。衬垫内长时间的湿气积聚对身体不利 影响适合性并导致浸渍等问题(恒定的组织软化 水暴露)、故障和感染，以及舒适性和卫生问题。 处理这一问题可能会彻底改变这一广泛使用的 悬挂系统。 我们建议开发一种新型的先进材料假体衬里系统， 保持皮肤的牵引力和吸力，但也吸收、排出、引导和管理皮肤 来自汗水的水。该材料将通过提供更稳定的、 肢体和插座之间的接口舒适，问题较少。我们的目标 是开发一种高度交联的水合材料原型系统，供就地使用 防水硅胶衬里，保持皮肤无气牵引和吸力 同时管理汗水，并保持与水分含量的静态体积。这 新的衬垫材料需要开发两种先进的材料，一种汗水-- 含硅纤维素纳米晶纳米复合材料的传输介质 (CNCS)，以及一种聚合物/粘土气凝胶，可以吸收和保持水分，直到 故意移走的。这两种材料都将进行开发和测试，以优化 它们的机械性能和汗液扩散特性。最后，这些材料将被分层 与第三层密封层一起，由标准衬里硅胶制成三层 进一步机械、汗液管理、耐用性和再生的原型 测试以及卫生学检查，再加上对材料材料的功能评估，在一个非常僵化的环境中。 穿着靴子走路。改善这一关键组成部分的水管理将从根本上 提高对大量下肢和上肢截肢者的护理标准。

In modern prosthetics a suction liner provides a mechanical connection to the rigid socket by “gripping” the residual limb of the patient by either skin traction or suction. Conventionally, liners are made from materials that are impermeable to water such as silicone and polyurethane. Prolonged moisture accumulation inside the liner adversely affects fit and contributes to issues such as maceration (tissue softening from constant water exposure), breakdown, and infection, as well as issues of comfort and hygiene.  Managing this issue could revolutionize the clinical implementation of this widely used suspension system. We propose to develop a new type of advanced-material prosthetic liner system that maintains skin traction and suction but also absorbs, wicks, channels, and manages the water from sweat. This material will improve clinical practice by providing a more stable, comfortable, and less problematic interface between the limb and socket. Our objective is to develop a highly cross-linked prototype hydrated material system, for use in place of the water-impermeable silicone liner, to maintain airless skin traction and suction while managing sweat and keeping a static volume in relation to water content. This new liner material will require the development of two advanced materials, a sweat- transporting medium incorporating silicone cellulose nanocrystal nanocomposites (CNCs), and a polymer/clay aerogel which can absorb and retain moisture until it is deliberately removed. Both of these materials will be developed and tested to optimize their mechanical and sweat-diffusion properties. Finally, these materials will be layered along with a third, sealant layer made of standard liner silicone into a three-layered prototype for further mechanical, sweat management, durability, and regeneration testing as well as hygiene examination coupled to functional evaluation of the material in a rigid  walking boot. Improving water management in this critical component will fundamentally improve standard of care for a large population of lower and upper limb amputees.