DEVELOPMENT OF A CUSTOM 3D-PRINTED ORTHOTIC DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRODE INTERFACES FOR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION IN CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14311/CTJ.2025.1.04Abstract
This article focuses on the design and fabrication of a customized orthotic device with the capability of applying electrical stimulation for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. A 3D positive model of the affected area was obtained using a handheld optical 3D scanner. This model was used for the orthosis design in suitable CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. Two prototypes were produced: the first by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) with PLA, and the second by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) with polyamide PA2200. The FDM variant required longer time of printing and extensive post-processing, offering low cost but limited durability. In contrast, the SLS orthosis was completed in shorter time, with higher material cost but improved flexibility, comfort, and surface quality. This work demonstrates the feasibility of producing individualized orthoses that integrate dual conservative therapies using additive manufacturing. Future research should include clinical validation and testing in diverse patient populations.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Branko Štefanovič, Lenka Kaščáková, Bibiána Ondrejová, Miroslav Kohan, Jozef Živčák
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of the first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in CTJ.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website or ResearchGate) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges.
CTJ requires that all of the content of the manuscript has been created by its respective authors or that permission to use a copyrighted material has been obtained by the authors before submitting the manuscript to CTJ. CTJ requires that authors have not used any copyrighted material illegally, as for example a picture from another journal or book, a photo, etc. It is the author’s responsibility to use only materials not violating the copyright law. When in doubt, CTJ may ask the authors to supply the pertinent permission or agreement about the use of a copyrighted material.
The opinions expressed in CTJ articles are those of authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers or the Czech Society for Biomedical Engineering and Medical Informatics.
