Prosthetic sockets of polymerized metal: materials, design, technology.

The process of fabricating polymerized metal sockets for above-knee and below-knee prostheses is described. The technique is based on pulse stamping of metal blanks over a matrix imitating the negative mould of the stump and subsequent polymeric coating by vibro-vortex spraying. The monitoring of more than 500 patients fitted with metal-polymer sockets since 1978 is reported.