We had our last transfemoral critique yesterday.  It was a lot more fun than the previous ones, for sure.  This last project was an independent project.  We could cast the patient any way we wanted, we could fabricate any style of socket, and use any type of suspension.  Essentially, the teachers told us “no hand-holding.”  It was our turn to show how much we understood the biomechanics of transfemoral “socketology.” Since our previous projects had been skin suction suspension, many of my classmates and I opted for a seal-in suction suspension. 

My partner and I worked with an amazing patient model this time.  It was the first time she had come in as a patient model this year.  Jenny (not her real name) was 30-something, athletic, and funny.  She was born with bilateral limb deficiencies above her knees.  She had always used skin suction suspension, but was game to try whatever style socket we thought could work for her.

I ended up fabricating a socket with an Evolution Origin liner and the Aura Sealing Sheath for my patient model.  I had asked my instructors where extra silicone liners were located and they opened the door to the Aura idea.  My instructors hadn’t used the sheaths just yet, so it was an educational trial and error in fabrication.  (Note: don’t modify cast like a traditional seal-in liner…tends to make socket a little tight).  

Critique was short and sweet.  We each told of fabrication and alignment snags we had run into and the problem we solved without too much instructor intervention.  The patients seemed a lot happier than the first critique, too.  Not too many grimaces from pain!  Jenny was pleased with her sockets and was able to walk outside of the parallel bars in both my partner’s and my sockets.

Looking back, we have come a long way since the first project.  Our sponge-like brains absorbed a ton of information in these past weeks.  However we can’t turn them off just yet. Graduation is right around the corner…after we complete our final unit: Upper Extremitry Prosthetics!