Trulife SocketCone - Responses
Mandy Myers
Description
Collection
Title:
Trulife SocketCone - Responses
Creator:
Mandy Myers
Date:
7/31/2009
Text:
Hello again,
Here are the responses I got regarding the Trulife SocketCone. I did find
a YouTube video of Dave (Prosthetist from Trulife) demostrating the
procedure using the SocketCone. I called Trulife's customer service to ask
some questions (Dave was not available). I was informed that the 'Heating
Device' to heat the cone is around $250.00. Cones are sold separately and
prices vary by size. I was a little confused though when I asked what the
measurement range was for the different size cones I was told that there is
not a size chart. ??? Not sure why? Or how you decide what size cone to use
without a chart. Anyway, I don't think I will try the SocketCone at this
time.
Thank you to all who responded. Have a great weekend everyone!!
Mandy
___
* I have used it and it does take a little practice. One issue is the
management of any wrinkles proximally. There is a technique to push those
posterior while maintaining a pseudo shelf. The biggest thing is have
enough boiling water around to form it. It has to be pulled out and dried
without burning yourself or the patient. The limb needs to be somewhat
insulated. Myself stick to fibergals for post op fittings. I know that
sounds old school though.
* We were shown a presentation on this product and frankly felt it
cheapened what we do professionally and elected to stay away from it. It
appears very flexible and our concern was durability and longevity.
* I have no experience with the SocketCone, but the idea of having a
patient walk on essentially a cast of their residual limb seems a bit
concerning to me. Regardless how much you mold the material while it is
setting on the limb, I can't imagine not needing to remove material from a
positive model in weight bearing areas, as well as circumferentially. Are
you planning to have the patient wear 5-10 sock ply? I think a preparatory
socket should have as much definition as possible to aide in shaping the
limb. This seems like a product that saves the practitioner time, but is
not necessarily providing a better product to the patient. I will be
interested to hear what other practitioners share about their experience
with SocketCone.
* I have not used it but saw it at our local NW chapter meeting last year
and found it quite interesting. Contact David Hensley, CP at Trulife and he
can help. OK, he's from Trulife, but he knows the product and showed us how
to use it. <Email Address Redacted>
* My rep performed their demo a couple months ago & I gave it serious
thought, but it just felt too hokey to me. Seems to take the art & science
out of socket design & fit.
I was going to buy a coffee pot (like trulife's), convert it & try a socket
or 2, but have not taken the leap, yet.
* I think I have tried it before as a check socket fit. It was a blue
plastic cone that could be molded without an oven, right? We were going to
use them in an office where there was no oven and our fabricating
facility was not completely set up up. Maybe it was because I used a heat
gun instead of steam heat but I could never get them to fit properly. I had
a problem getting the distal end to mold correctly and they would end up
being wrinkled. I would definitely do some trial runs, maybe pull one or two
over a plaster mold just to get the hang of doing them. I used to pull them
over a modified plaster mold, not the patient. The plastic is strong enough
for a prep prosthesis if the person is just using it for PT and housebound
walking, but nothing strenous. I did not try to pull it with any kind
of pyramid plates in them so I don't know how that would work out. I only
used them twice before going back to regular check sockets from durplex.
* I have used several and had good success on patients under 175lbs. It is
not strong enough otherwise, unless wrapped with scotchcast. Are you aware
of the Casting Cone and Dupli-cones? They are made by the same company,
Chesapeake Medical. I use casting cones exclusively, no more plaster. I
get much better results on TSB sockets and eliminate one fitting.
--
Mandy J. Myers, CP, CFm & Owner
Horizon Prosthetics
719-266-0949
www.horizonprosthetics.com
'Life is Fragile, Handle with Prayer'
Here are the responses I got regarding the Trulife SocketCone. I did find
a YouTube video of Dave (Prosthetist from Trulife) demostrating the
procedure using the SocketCone. I called Trulife's customer service to ask
some questions (Dave was not available). I was informed that the 'Heating
Device' to heat the cone is around $250.00. Cones are sold separately and
prices vary by size. I was a little confused though when I asked what the
measurement range was for the different size cones I was told that there is
not a size chart. ??? Not sure why? Or how you decide what size cone to use
without a chart. Anyway, I don't think I will try the SocketCone at this
time.
Thank you to all who responded. Have a great weekend everyone!!
Mandy
___
* I have used it and it does take a little practice. One issue is the
management of any wrinkles proximally. There is a technique to push those
posterior while maintaining a pseudo shelf. The biggest thing is have
enough boiling water around to form it. It has to be pulled out and dried
without burning yourself or the patient. The limb needs to be somewhat
insulated. Myself stick to fibergals for post op fittings. I know that
sounds old school though.
* We were shown a presentation on this product and frankly felt it
cheapened what we do professionally and elected to stay away from it. It
appears very flexible and our concern was durability and longevity.
* I have no experience with the SocketCone, but the idea of having a
patient walk on essentially a cast of their residual limb seems a bit
concerning to me. Regardless how much you mold the material while it is
setting on the limb, I can't imagine not needing to remove material from a
positive model in weight bearing areas, as well as circumferentially. Are
you planning to have the patient wear 5-10 sock ply? I think a preparatory
socket should have as much definition as possible to aide in shaping the
limb. This seems like a product that saves the practitioner time, but is
not necessarily providing a better product to the patient. I will be
interested to hear what other practitioners share about their experience
with SocketCone.
* I have not used it but saw it at our local NW chapter meeting last year
and found it quite interesting. Contact David Hensley, CP at Trulife and he
can help. OK, he's from Trulife, but he knows the product and showed us how
to use it. <Email Address Redacted>
* My rep performed their demo a couple months ago & I gave it serious
thought, but it just felt too hokey to me. Seems to take the art & science
out of socket design & fit.
I was going to buy a coffee pot (like trulife's), convert it & try a socket
or 2, but have not taken the leap, yet.
* I think I have tried it before as a check socket fit. It was a blue
plastic cone that could be molded without an oven, right? We were going to
use them in an office where there was no oven and our fabricating
facility was not completely set up up. Maybe it was because I used a heat
gun instead of steam heat but I could never get them to fit properly. I had
a problem getting the distal end to mold correctly and they would end up
being wrinkled. I would definitely do some trial runs, maybe pull one or two
over a plaster mold just to get the hang of doing them. I used to pull them
over a modified plaster mold, not the patient. The plastic is strong enough
for a prep prosthesis if the person is just using it for PT and housebound
walking, but nothing strenous. I did not try to pull it with any kind
of pyramid plates in them so I don't know how that would work out. I only
used them twice before going back to regular check sockets from durplex.
* I have used several and had good success on patients under 175lbs. It is
not strong enough otherwise, unless wrapped with scotchcast. Are you aware
of the Casting Cone and Dupli-cones? They are made by the same company,
Chesapeake Medical. I use casting cones exclusively, no more plaster. I
get much better results on TSB sockets and eliminate one fitting.
--
Mandy J. Myers, CP, CFm & Owner
Horizon Prosthetics
719-266-0949
www.horizonprosthetics.com
'Life is Fragile, Handle with Prayer'
Citation
Mandy Myers, “Trulife SocketCone - Responses,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 4, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/230581.
