Syrian refugees get 3D printed prosthetic limbs

AMMAN, JORDAN —
Doctors looking to 3D technology to provide prosthetic access to poor and wounded refugees in the Middle East.

Médecins Sans Frontières, or Doctors Without Borders, has been working with a hospital in Amman, Jordan to help upper-limb amputees from war-torn nations.

Before designing a prosthetic limb, the team assesses each patient and makes a scan of their stumps.

They use flexible thermoplastic polyurethane to 3D-print the socket and hand, and a firmer plastic to create the forearm. The 3D printed prosthetics take only 24 hours to design and produce and costs only a fraction of the normal price at $20.

When the parts have been assembled together, the limb can be painted to match the patient's skin tone.

Doctors make sure the lightweight prosthetic limb fits comfortably on the stump, ensuring patients will be able to use it long-term, according to their needs.

Doctors Without Borders is still improving the process, but wants to expand to other missions in the future.