Sarah Sedghi/ABC World Today
In a country plagued by war, Vietnam has seen its fair share of injuries from land mines and other accidents. That’s why the country was chosen for a trial to create quality prostheses for those who do not always have access to a prosthetist. Australian researchers said they hoped the system could also help other people around the world.
The trial has so far been effective for about 70 per cent of participants.(Photo: Courtesy of the University of Melbourne School of Engineering)
Professor Peter Lee, an expert in rehabilitation engineering from the University of Melbourne, said for the past few years he and his team had been trialling the new technology, called Pressure Cast (PCAST), with patients in Vietnam in need of effective prosthetic limbs.
He said the prosthesis consisted of the socket, shank and then foot, and joints in between.
Professor Lee said the big problem in developing countries was the lack of prothetists, or trained personnel making the socket.
Professor Lee and his team have been working on the trial with the Vietnamese Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists in Hanoi.
Nguyen Thi Luu has her prosthetic limb fitted to her leg. (Photo: Courtesy of the University of Melbourne School of Engineering)
Sheridan Laing, from the University of Melbourne, said the technology means patients can be fitted with their prosthetic limbs within one day, whereas with conventional prosthetic limbs the wait was two to three days.
The trial has so far worked with a small group of patients and it has been effective for about 70 per cent of the participants. But some patients have more complex needs, and Professor Lee said this technology could free up prosthetists to help those people.
The researchers said they were now working towards taking the technology to other developing countries.
To read more, click here:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-22/trial-in-vietnam-delivers-low-cost-prosthetics-to-patients/7266520
