Whilst 3D Scanning in the prosthetic industry has been around for a number of years, the South African market is reluctant to pursue this path in manufacturing prosthetics.
I have been involved with 3D Scanning since 2017. The results have been astonishing and the positive response we get from our patients were overwhelming.
Not only is 3d scanning a clean and quick process but it is extremely accurate. Every amputee that has been casted or measured with Plaster-of-Paris will tell you that it is a messy and cumbersome experience. It often results in a poor fit of the prosthesis and needs multiple rectifications to try and improve the fit. More often than expected, the prosthetist will have to re-cast and start the process all over.
With 3D scanning, this is not the case. After a satisfactory scan is taken of the residual limb (stump), I manipulate the scan using a software program, adding and reducing as required to optimise comfort as per each individual patient’s needs. The scan is then saved on our database.
Different scans can be compared in order to verify and compare how much a patient’s residual leg has changed in volume or shape. I have used these comparisons to motivate for a new prosthesis.
Instead of fearing technology and keeping to the same old methods, I decided to embrace the technology of 3D scanning. This has opened up a whole new world within my practice and changed the lives of many amputees.
View the process below: