Project coordination

Schieffelin Institute of Health Research & Leprosy Centre

Patients suffering from nerve damage caused by leprosy can have a loss of sensation in the feet, which leads to wounds on the sole of the foot. Non-infected simple ulcers are usually treated with total contact casts, which are heavy. This project develops and tests alternative lightweight devices with the help of computer software.

Design of customized offloading devices to promote healing of planter ulcers

 Duration

April 2018 - September 2019

Project Coordination

Schieffelin Institute of Health Research & Leprosy Centre

Partners

• RVS School of Engineering, Tamil Nadu, India

Project summary

Patients suffering from nerve damage caused by leprosy can experience a loss of sensation in the feet, which often leads to wounds on the sole of the foot. Non-infected simple ulcers are usually treated with total contact casts. These are heavy and prevent the wearer from doing their daily routine. In any underdeveloped country, where even a normal person may find it difficult to walk on village roads, a person with a cast will not be able to walk and is confined to the home. The current treatment devices need to be worn for at least one month continuously. A lightweight alternative device, that provides the same protection of the wound, would help the patient in carrying on with the routine work while the ulcer heals inside the cast.

The main research question in this project is if the existing gold standard devices can be replicated with light weight devices through customized and patient friendly designs. Furthermore, the researchers will determine if the effectiveness of the new offloading devices can be demonstrated with computer based simulations.

Initially, the project focuses on reviewing the existing offloading devices for the uniqueness and enabling and disabling factors in doing their ADL functions.This knowledge will then be incorporated in developing designs that could offload plantar pressures effectively through computer software. The material properties of the light weight material will be incorporated in the simulating software and about 6 designs will be identified and tested for its robustness.

At a later stage, through another project, these customized lightweight devices will be field tested through a trial to check effectiveness in healing ulcers.

Budget

€ 35,497 | Project number: 706.18.29