Unibody endoskeletal transtibial prosthetic devices and digital fabrication workflow
A unibody transtibial prosthetic device includes a socket personalized for a specific patient's residual limb. A pylon extends from the socket, the pylon being a unitary polymer structure of interconnected elongated supports having open spaces therebetween. The device also includes a foot-ankle complex, the foot-ankle complex being a unitary polymer extending from the pylon, the foot and ankle unitary structure being shaped to provide multi-axial dynamic flex to enable dorsiflexion, plantar flexion, inversion and eversion motion for smooth symmetric gait performance and energy capture and return. The socket, pylon and foot-ankle complex are portions of a unibody.
1. A patient specific workflow method for producing a unibody transtibial prosthetic device, the workflow comprising:
acquiring patient data via imaging and/or scanning;
constructing a three-dimensional (3D) model from the patient data;
translating the 3D model to a 3D printable design of a unibody transtibial prosthesis;
3D printing the unibody transtibial prosthesis;
wherein the acquiring patient data comprises imaging a contralateral limb and a residual limb;
wherein the imaging is conducted with a smart phone;
wherein the 3D printing prints a unitary socket, pylon and foot and ankle, the pylon has an open structure of interconnected elongated supports having open spaces therebetween and the foot has a split ankle, a split toe and a split heel; and
wherein the 3D printing is a multi-material printing process that forms regions of different stiffnesses in the unitary socket, pylon and foot and ankle.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the constructing is conducted via a structure from motion or structured light method.