I-Corps: Prosthetic Sleeve Liners

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是基于一种能够减少截肢者皮肤发病率的新材料。由于糖尿病和血管内疾病等血管疾病导致伤口愈合能力下降，皮肤发病率是一个特别重要的问题。目前大多数商业上可用的伤口衬垫旨在避免伤口愈合减少，对针对皮肤健康的基础材料进行了添加或修改。这些包括药物涂层，冷却系统和真空附件。然而，他们并没有解决问题的根源——他们的目标是解决由这些材料引起的次要问题：热量、汗水、活塞和微生物生长的潜力。因此，需要更多的预防性技术，而不是那些只会治疗已经发生的皮肤磨损或感染的技术。该项目的技术不仅将改变假体内衬行业，还将为其他可能导致皮肤感染问题的情况提供新的方法。I-Corps的这个项目将多种具有良好性能的材料结合到一个聚合物系统中，在保持内衬的机械坚固性的同时，还能从假肢界面吸走热量和汗水。虽然类似的聚合物结构已经被用作膜和药物输送系统，但它们可以结合到内衬材料中以改善内衬的功能。这个项目生产了一种透气的袖子，对皮肤的刺激最小，对截肢者至关重要。这些衬垫的原位生产使假肢医生和医生能够实时定制衬垫的形状，以最好地满足个人的需求。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is based on a new material that has the capability to reduce skin morbidity in amputees. Skin morbidity is an especially critical concern for patients with decreased wound healing capability because of vascular diseases such as diabetes and endovascular disease. Most current commercially available wound liners intended to avoid decreased wound healing have additions or modifications to base materials that target skin health. These include medicated coatings, cooling systems, and vacuum attachments. However, they do not correct the root of the problem - they aim to treat the secondary problems caused by those materials: heat, sweat, pistoning, and potential of microbial growth. Thus, more preventative technologies are called for than those that will only treat already developed skin wear or infection. This project's technology will not only transform the prosthetic liner industry, but also offer a new approach for other situations that might lead to skin infection issues.This I-Corps project combines multiple materials with favorable properties into a single polymeric system that retains a liner's mechanical robustness while wicking away heat and sweat from limb-prosthesis interfaces. While similar polymeric structures have been used as membranes as well as drug delivery systems, they could be incorporated to the liner materials to improve the liner functioning. This project produces a breathable sleeve with minimal skin irritation, essential for amputees. The in situ production of these liners enables prosthetist and physicians to customize the shape of liners in real time to best meet the need of individuals.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.