Orthotics & Prosthetics

WACKER RTV-2 Systems Make All the Difference

ELASTOSIL^® P and SILPURAN^® room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) silicone elastomers and gels are specially designed to meet specific prosthetic and orthotic demands. Orthotics focus on properties such the ability to cushion shock and vibration, and to apply gentle, comfortable compression. Prosthetics is a highly sensitive area of application. The aim is to make prostheses and epitheses that fit perfectly, are comfortable to wear, and are barely noticeable.

ELASTOSIL® | Silicone Rubber | Health Care | Silicones for Orthotic & Prosthetic Applications PDF, 2.2 MB | English

ELASTOSIL^® P and SILPURAN^®’s exceptional set of properties allow customized production of:

Orthotic pelottes/pads
Insoles, shoe orthotics
Heel cushions, toe spacers, toe caps
Anti-decubitus mats
Aesthetic and functional finger, hand and partial-foot prostheses
Epitheses
Orthoses
Liners
External mammary prostheses

Benefits of ELASTOSIL^® P and SILPURAN^® silicone elastomers:

Biocompatibility
Durability: low surface tension, thermal stability and chemical stability
Good resistance to a large number of solvents and chemicals
No organic plasticizers involved
Sterilizable for single and repeated use (sterilizable with steam, ethylene oxide, electron beams and γ-rays)
The excellent mechanical properties are highly resistant to aging, weathering, heat and radiation
Silicones do not support microbial growth (hydrophobic)
Easy processing due to low viscosity and good mixing characteristics
RTV-2 silicone rubber systems do not release any by-products on curing
Broad hardness range
High degree of comfort for wearer; breathability

Do I have to invest a lot to manufacture orthotic and prosthetic parts?

No, due to the 1:1 mixing ratio, low viscosity and long pot life at room temperature, silicone elastomers in the ELASTOSIL^® P series can easily be manually dosed, mixed and molded. Production time can be reduced by curing at high temperatures, for example at 120°C. There are cost-effective mixing and metering systems for processing ELASTOSIL^® P upward of specific production volumes. Please contact us for details of suitable equipment suppliers.

Are there any lightweight filling materials for external mammary prostheses?

Thanks to its low density, lightweight ELASTOSIL^® P 7630 gel can reduce the weight of the prosthesis by more than a third compared to conventional silicone gels.

Do the gel materials used in prostheses adhere well to polyurethane film in order to avoid the separation of outer skin and filling material?

Yes, ELASTOSIL^® P gels adhere well to polyurethane film.

Are there any materials for molding and casting prostheses that I can individually tailor to my needs?

Yes, with the kneadable silicone elastomers ELASTOSIL^® P 7915 (soft), 7950 (high Shore hardness), you can adapt the prosthesis to the body.
You can use the ELASTOSIL^® FX toolbox to solve casting and life molding challenges by adapting a number of properties to your needs. Four basic silicone elastomers ranging from gelatinous to ShA 28 can be combined with ELASTOSIL^® FX Softener (adjustment of texture / softness), FX Slow or Fast Cure (curing speed) and FX Thixo (flowability).

Are there any silicone elastomers that can be used to produce prosthetic liners?

The ELASTOSIL^® P 768x series is ideal for casting prosthetic liners with good durability and excellent mechanical properties. You can choose from a broad range of hardness levels from soft (sh00 25) through medium to hard (shA 12 / sh00 60). Low viscosity enables a fast and simple casting process with the end product exhibiting excellent mechanical properties.

Can I achieve good damping properties with silicone rubber compounds for pelottes, pads and insoles?

ELASTOSIL^® P 7600 and the P 767x series contain silicone rubber compounds with excellent damping properties to reduce and cushion shocks and vibrations. Several grades of hardness are available and all the products are easy to process due to their low viscosity.

Silicone gels for external mammary prostheses: Discover easy processing with ELASTOSIL® P

Prosthetics is a highly sensitive area of application. WACKER’s RTV-2 silicone rubbers have an extraordinary property profile that makes them ideal for producing aesthetic and functional finger, hand and partial-foot prostheses, as well as orthoses, epitheses and external mammary prostheses.

ELASTOSIL^® – Production Process Used by the Prosthetics Sector

Step 1

A mammary prosthesis mold consists of a thin shell (e.g. PUR) filled with ELASTOSIL^® silicone gel.
The use of thermoplastic shell material makes it possible to shape prostheses individually.