About Alpha DESIGN® Liners

 

 

What Are They?

 

Alpha DESIGN® Liners, for amputees, are prosthetic liners available through a collaborative partnership between Massons Healthcare in Australia, WillowWood in the USA, and our clinical partners across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Five DESIGN Liner examples are shown in the picture above, on the left. By making these custom-made and custom-shaped prosthetic liner products available for amputees in our regions , we are providing the prosthetic community products that the consumers find assist them in leading a functionally normal lifestyle, products that the consumers find more comfortable, and products that the consumers prefer.

 

Inadequate contact between an amputee’s residual limb skin and the inside of their gel liner may result in socket fit and function issues. Alpha DESIGN® Liner gel placement, profile and thickness, as well as outer fabric type and colour are tailored to suit various limb shapes and preferences.

 

Alpha DESIGN® Liner gel thickness may be up to 25 mm thick in different areas, especially useful on invaginated limbs or bony limbs, where standard “off the shelf” liner profiles may not be suitable. For increased comfort, liner gel on the top edge of the liner may be as thin as 3 mm. Behind the knee for below-knee amputees, gel may also be as thin as 3 mm for greater comfort and range of knee motion, during knee-bending activities. 

For more information, please contact your prosthetics provider, or Massons Healthcare at info@massonshealthcare.com.au

 

Here is an example of an inverted DESIGN Liner, showing different gel thicknesses on the inner side of the liner, ensuring total contact between the user's skin and DESIGN Liner inner gel surface:

 

 

 

 

The Process

 

In summary:

 

1. Discuss Alpha DESIGN® Liner options with your prosthetic provider

 

2. Order an Alpha DESIGN® Liner tailored to your specific residual limb for a custom fit.

 

3. Receive Alpha DESIGN® Liner from your prosthetic provider .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As an amputee who may benefit from Alpha DESIGN® Liner use, the first point of call is to contact your prosthetic provider or more specifically, your clinical prosthetic practitioner, and discuss Alpha DESIGN® Liner features with him/her, along with your needs and the process involved to obtain this custom liner.

 

Your clinician will then assess your suitability with custom Alpha DESIGN® Liners and if this product will be incorporated into your new socket setup, he or she will obtain an impression of your residual limb. This impression or shape capturing can be done by taking a plaster cast of your limb, or via a 3D scan of your limb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are different methods to obtain a plaster cast impression or 3D scan and your practitioner will discuss this with you directly. Once an impression of your limb is taken, the impression is sent to us at Massons Healthcare where we organise an online design meeting with your practitioner and design the custom-made Alpha DESIGN® Liner to your requirements together via 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) software.

Clinical prosthetic practitioners have design control and design options when creating Alpha DESIGN® Liners with OMEGA®, a design software program. Your practioner will design your liner to be either a cushion or locking model. Locking liners have an umbrella at the bottom allowing a secure connection to a pin or lanyard.

 

Once designed, the file is sent to WillowWood in the USA and your liner is manufactured there, according to your individual needs. The custom liner is then sent to your practitioner so he/she can provide it to you.

 

If this is your first Alpha DESIGN® Liner, a cast or scan will be taken over the liner (worn on your residual limb) in order for a new custom made socket to be made.

If you require a duplicate Alpha DESIGN® Liner, your practitioner will fit this duplicated liner to your existing socket.
If you require more information or want to know who is offering Alpha DESIGN® Liner services in your region, contact us at Massons Healthcare in Melbourne, Australia on +61 3 9898 0011 or at info@massonshealthcare.com.au.