The Cortex cast concept for broken upper limbs presented in mid-2013 by Jake Evill was a demonstrative example of 3D printing’s potential shown to the wider global public. A new design, presented by Denis Karasahin at the A’ Design Award & Competiton, uses a very similar design while taking it one step further by adding ultrasound technology.
Just like the original Cortex cast, the new Osteoid concept seeks to improve the overall healing experience of broken and fractured limbs by introducing a custom fitted 3D printed medical cast that is both durable and waterproof. The 3D printed exoskeletal structure is modelled according to the patient’s arm 3D scan data and is based on a voronoi type structure that assures protection while leaving open spaces for ventilation and scratching.
In the Osteoid case the ventilation openings are also used to implement a Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound bone stimulation system — known as LIPUS — which needs to be applied directly to the skin and could thus not be used in traditional medical casts. Used in a daily 20 minute session, the LIPUS system could reduce healing times by 38% and increase the heal rate up to 80% in non-union fractures.
The exact shape and positioning of the locking mechanism is determined algorithmically and added to the final CAD data along with the LIPUS probe adapters. Karasahin’s concept can be 3D printed by FDM, using ABS plastics and a wide variety of colouring options.
