LifeNabled Prosthetic Care
Appropriate Prosthetic Care
Designing for Our Patient’s Unique Needs
Several key factors come into play when selecting an appropriate prosthetic system for the developing world. Most of our patients live physically demanding lives in an environment that is rugged, hot, humid, and dirty. Items such as a gel liner, that is commonly used with U.S. prosthetic devices, simply does not work well in this environment, and in some cases can lead to further skin conditions and infection. An appropriate prosthesis needs to be simple, without a lot of moving parts that can easily break or become corroded. Additionally, an appropriate prosthesis must also be extremely durable, especially the feet!
Learn About 3D Printing in Orthotics & Prosthetics
LifeNabled currently utilizes two kinds of sockets. Our traditional sockets are made of co-polymer plastic and our 3D sockets are printed with Multi-Jet Fusion PA12 or PETG for our FDM machines. To complete the prostheses, we use aluminum pylons, a handful of knee options depending on the patients needs, and a very durable foot. This combination is versatile enough to work for all patients, above-the-knee, below-the-knee, adults and pediatrics, and has proven to withstand the demands of life in the developing world.
Patient Stories
Cost-Effective Services
Providing Value While Lowering Cost
Affordability is critical. Many patients in Guatemala, and other parts of the developing world, live on just a few dollars a day. Purchasing a prosthesis is simply unattainable. We provide our prostheses at no cost to the patients, which means we rely heavily on our generous partners and donors. In order to reach as many patients as possible, we must keep our material costs low in order to remain sustainable. For context, a prosthesis in the U.S. may cost anywhere from $5,000 up to $100,000. However, our material costs are only $150 for a below-the-knee prosthesis and $300 for an above-the-knee prosthesis. In some cases, incorporating 3D printing can bring those costs even lower.
Providing Sustainable Care
Local Repairs and Maintainance
Naturally, all prosthetic patients need adjustments and/or repairs at some point. Accidents happen and residual limbs shrink and expand for various reasons; it’s an expected part of being an amputee. Thankfully, our prosthetic system lends itself to minimal repairs and our sock-ply system helps patients self manage typical limb changes. Additionally, we have a trained technician that lives in San Benito. He is able to manage repairs and even fabricate new devices, if needed, until we return.