DONE! The Institute of Prosthetics received two Ottobock thermal ovens. We thank our partners Canada-Ukraine Foundation

On May 23rd, 2023, Ottobock heating cabinets were delivered to the Institute of Prosthetics. 

This project worth 38 thousand EUR was funded by our partner Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

"For the manufacturing of stump sockets, we need to prepare the material. It is heated in special cabinets. With the new equipment, the time needed for the process is reduced by several times. The speed of stump manufacturing is especially important for first-time patients, as the stump changes and the stump needs to be corrected 2-3 times in a very short time," explains Antonina Saleeva, Head of the Institute of Prosthetics.

The team of the Citizen Charity Foundation visited Lviv region, where one of the cabinets was installed. We talked to prosthetists who are already working with the new equipment. 

–    The first thing the experts note is that the cabinets warm up quickly – in 15-20 minutes, unlike the old cabinet, which took 1.5-2 hours to warm up, before it could be used. "We need such speed in order to preserve the material. Due to power outages, we could waste it and not even produce the stump socket," the representative of the Institute of Prosthetics explains.

–    Second, the quality of the material after heating is different. In the new thermal cabinets, it is more elastic and controllable. This is due to modern technology, a contemporary heating mechanism.

–    Thirdly, the stumps made with the use of thermal cabinets are more durable, not so fragile, which increases the lifespan of permanent prostheses.

This aid is an invaluable contribution to the development of the Ukrainian Institute of Prosthetics, Prosthetic Engineering and Rehabilitation in particular, as well as a substantial support for prosthetics in Ukraine in general.

Our sincere gratitude to the partners!