Prosthetic-liner project

According to Strathclyde University, approximately half of the 62,000 people living with limb loss in the UK are affected by skin infections or irritation thought to be caused by bacteria in the prosthetic liners that separate a prosthetic limb from the skin.

However, a clinical scientist, microbiologists, mathematicians, physicists and engineers from the universities are joining forces to help reduce the scale of the problem. The team will examine the bacterial and other microbial populations in prosthetic liners with the long-term aim of designing new technologies, including antimicrobial lining materials.

The research team is being led by Dr Rebecca Lunn of the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Civil Engineering, in close collaboration with Dr Margrit Meier of Strathclyde’s National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Dr Lunn said: ’At the moment, sockets are designed for structural performance and to stop chaffing, but this tight connection between the prosthesis and the limb provides ideal conditions for bacterial growth.’

Dr Meier added: ’Even if a person keeps their prosthetic socket meticulously clean, it is inevitable that bacteria will settle over its lifetime. This can lead to infection and, ultimately, a breakdown of the whole prosthetic system. Infections negatively impact the use of the prosthesis and are highly detrimental to their owners’ quality of life.

’Conservative estimates suggest that every year around 4,500 new lower-limb amputations occur within the UK, of which the large majority will be fitted with a prosthetic liner. We hope the outcome of this research will have a real impact on the quality of life for amputees through the future development of innovative prosthetic liners.’

The study will collect data on the microbial populations present in a number of liners from users who’ve experienced skin infections and those who haven’t had any problems. Experts will image and compare the size and location of microbial populations using electron microscopy; model the growth of bacteria and investigate the behaviour of bacteria in porous materials.

As more information is revealed on the type and nature of the microbial populations, the team will combine their expertise to come up with novel ways to reduce the risk of infection.

The multidisciplinary team was awarded an 18-month £200,000 grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to develop research proposals on how to improve the biological and mechanical performance of prosthetic limbs.