Fabrication of Custom Dynamic Pedorthoses for Clubfoot Correction via Additive-based Technologies

摘要

Additive technologies have created many opportunities to improve the quality of life for patients in a range of medical applications. This paper provides an overview of how several of these technologies were leveraged to transform custom pedorthosis designs into physical, end-use, custom pedorthoses for clubfoot patients. The pedorthoses that were produced are currently being tested on the respective patients for their improvement in mobility and degree of clubfoot correction, and will continue through early 2010. The advantage of this approach is the reduction in labor and the increase in degrees of design freedom available, compared to conventional methods of fabricating orthotic devices. Several new approaches for fabricating custom orthotic devices that were explored, and the related results, are discussed.