Methods for characterization of mechanical and electrical prosthetic vacuum pumps.
Despite increasingly widespread adoption of vacuum-assisted suspension systems in prosthetic clinical practices, there remain gaps in the body of scientific knowledge guiding clinicians' choices of existing products. In this study, we identified important pump-performance metrics and developed techniques to objectively characterize the evacuation performance of prosthetic vacuum pumps. The sensitivity of the proposed techniques was assessed by characterizing the evacuation performance of two electrical (Harmony e-Pulse [Ottobock; Duderstadt, Germany] and LimbLogic VS [Ohio Willow Wood; Mt. Sterling, Ohio]) and three mechanical (Harmony P2, Harmony HD, and Harmony P3 [Ottobock]) prosthetic pumps in bench-top testing. Five fixed volume chambers ranging from 33 cm(3) (2 in.(3)) to 197 cm(3) (12 in.(3)) were used to represent different air volume spaces between a prosthetic socket and a liner-clad residual limb. All measurements were obtained at a vacuum gauge pressure of 57.6 kPa (17 inHg). The proposed techniques demonstrated sensitivity to the different electrical and mechanical pumps and, to a lesser degree, to the different setting adjustments of each pump. The sensitivity was less pronounced for the mechanical pumps, and future improvements for testing of mechanical vacuum pumps were proposed. Overall, this study successfully offers techniques feasible as standards for assessing the evacuation performance of prosthetic vacuum pump devices.
Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center, Chicago, IL.
Oluseeni
O
Komolafe
Sean
S
Wood
Ryan
R
Caldwell
Andrew
A
Hansen
Stefania
S
Fatone
D000672:Amputation Stumps; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D011312:Pressure; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting; D014618:Vacuum
electrical prosthetic pump; elevated vacuum; mechanical prosthetic pump; negative pressure; prosthetic 
pump; prosthetic pump performance; prosthetic vacuum; socket evacuation; vacuum assisted suspension; vacuum pump