Embodiments of the present invention provide improved prosthetic devices. The prosthetic devices may be fabricated using environmental friendly, renewable and sustainable materials. Methods of manufacturing the devices are also provided. Additionally, the present invention provides an environmental friendly, renewable and sustainable substitute for carbon and/or fiberglass materials.

A flexible prosthetic inner socket that resides inside of a rigid prosthetic socket that is fabricated by forming a sized, injection molded, flexible inner pre-socket. The flexible inner pre-socket includes a body formed with an opening and an enclosed end. The Pre-socket can be heated and stretched over a prosthetic residual limb model and then a prosthetic rigid socket can be formed over it. It can also be heated and vacuum-formed inside of an existing hard prosthetic socket in order to provide global volume reduction intended to make the rigid prosthetic socket fit tighter onto the residual limb. The opening of the flexible inner socket may be trimmed after the formation to fit contours of an opening of the rigid prosthetic socket.

A suspension liner has a liner body portion, a textile material, and a plurality of seals formed along a length of the suspension liner toward a closed distal end and protruding circumferentially about a liner profile. Each seal has a same shape including a peak having a rounded profile and a width narrowing toward the peak and defines a sealing surface arranged to form a secure interface with an interior wall of the socket that retains the suspension liner within the prosthetic socket. The textile material is located intermediate interior and exterior surfaces of the suspension liner that formed of one or more silicone materials in the area of the seals and the textile material defines the exterior surface of the suspension liner proximal and distal to the seals.

An apparatus for suspending a prosthesis from a residual limb comprises a tubular liner adapted to receive the residual limb. A lanyard is secured at one end to the distal end of the liner. A hollow prosthetic socket defines a well configured to receive the residual limb and includes a socket seal disposed at the distal end of the socket. An upper surface of the socket seal defines a recess opening to the exterior of the socket through a side wall. A sealing element disposed along the length of the lanyard is configured to engage within the passage. The free end of the lanyard is pulled through passage such that the sealing element sealingly engages within the passage for preventing fluid communication through the passage. The liner at least partially contacts the interior surface of the socket for providing a fluid seal and creating negative pressure within the socket.

A method of manufacturing a microfluidic architecture having at least one channel disposed therein. Steps can include pouring an uncured polymeric material into a mould to produce a first layer; at least partially curing the first layer; and forming the at least one channel by disposing a support material on the first layer; pouring an uncured polymeric material onto the first layer to form a second layer to thereby encapsulate the support material; and at least partially curing the second layer such that the first layer and second layer together form the microfluidic architecture; wherein the support material undergoes a phase change during the process of forming the at least one channel. The phase change of the support material enables the material to be more easily disposed and/or removed after formation of the channel.

A prosthetic socket includes a conical cup, an outer layer on the outer surface of the conical cup, and a reinforcement layer on the inner surface of the conical cup. The prosthetic socket is shapeable after being heated to a shaping temperature. The outer layer is less malleable than the conical cup at the shaping temperature but has a higher rigidity than the conical cup at the shaping temperature and has smoother outer surface than an outer surface of the conical cup. The reinforcement layer has a higher resistance against circumferential stress than the conical cup. A residual limb or a model of a residual limb can be inserted into the preformed prosthetic socket. The prosthetic socket is then heated to the shaping temperature and molded to conform to the contour of the residual limb or the model to form a prosthetic socket.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a breast prosthesis, in which a first dispersion of a first granular material is introduced into a cross-linkable silicone compound. The silicone compound subsequently is cured in order to form a prosthesis body, wherein the prosthesis body is heated to a shrinking temperature which lies above the melting point of the thermoplastic material.

A prosthetic appendage for attachment to an outer extremity of an amputated limb that is composed of modular elements fabricated by three-dimensional printing. In one embodiment the prosthetic appendage is a leg. The prosthetic leg includes a foot portion and a plurality of modular and three-dimensionally printed limb elements. One of the plurality of limb elements is pivotally coupled to the foot portion and another of the limb elements is configured at one end to receive the outer extremity of the amputated leg. In another embodiment of the present invention the prosthetic appendage is a hand. The prosthetic hand includes a wrist element with one end configured to receive the outer extremity of an amputated hand, a base portion attached to the wrist element and a plurality of modular and three-dimensionally printed finger elements selectively coupled to adjacent finger elements or the base to form prosthetic fingers.

The invention relates to a socket system for a prosthesis. The socket system including a prosthesis socket which has a proximal opening for receiving a residual limb and a distal end and which is made, at least partially, of a first fiber-reinforced plastic. The socket system also includes an adapter element which is arranged on the distal end of the prosthesis socket and is designed in such a manner that a distal prosthesis element can be secured to the adapter element. The adapter element includes a base body which is made, at least partially, of a second fiber-reinforced plastic.

A prosthetic foot that includes a foot plate having a toe portion and a heel portion, a shank plate bonded to the foot plate along a seam that extends from the toe portion rearward toward the heel portion to terminate at an end, the shank plate separated from the foot plate forming a gap between the foot plate and shank plate extending rearward from the end of the seam; and an attachment structure attaching the foot plate to the shank plate, wherein the attachment structure includes fibers extending continuously through the shank plate, the gap, and the foot plate. In embodiments, the foot plate and shank plate are made of composite material and the attachment structure alternately extends through the seam and through a flexible material between the shank plate and the foot plate.