Porous plastic laminates for upper extremity prostheses.

THE problem of perspiration and its removal from the amputee's arm and leg stumps encased in sockets has engaged the attention of the doctor and limb fitter for as long as limbs have been fitted. In the early days of leather prostheses, a few months of wear during the summer were sufficient to cause the leather to rot and degrade because of perspiration. Since it was not possible to wash leather prostheses easily, severe hygienic problems were created. Efforts to coat leather with plastic films to overcome this difficulty were only partially successful for, in many instances, the adhesion of the coating was poor and frequent re-coatings were necessary. With the development of the all-plastic arm, it became possible to wash the socket thoroughly and virtually eliminate the hygienic problem. However, because the plastic did not permit diffusion of water vapor, sweat gathered profusely in the socket and became a source of discomfort and irritation. Efforts to permit diffusion of sweat by drilling gross holes in the plastic socket were not very successful. Although this practice permitted greater removal of sweat than in undrilled prostheses, the strength characteristics were seriously affected when a sufficient number of holes were cut to permit adequate removal. In addition, there still remained between the holes impervious plastic which could block large numbers of sweat pores—approximately 155 per square centimeter on the forearm (1)—and