March 19, 2023
EDMONTON – Upgrading from a three- to seven-axis robotic carver at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital is helping healthcare professionals better create and fit artificial limbs and orthotic devices for 1,500 patients across Alberta each year.
The seven-axis robotic carving machine allows orthotists and prosthetists to swap traditional time-consuming plaster casting methods with a faster digital approach. It uses 3D shape capture and design software and automated model carving to replicate anything from head to foot, and can develop models to create prosthetic limbs, orthotic braces, and wheelchair cushions.
“If you think of the challenge of making a plaster cast of a patient’s head, especially a pediatric patient, or a torso for a patient who needs a spinal brace, the process was labour intensive and time consuming for staff, and I’m sure unpleasant for patients at times,” says Andreas Donauer, an orthotist at the hospital. “Access to the robotic carver helps speed up the process from patient assessment to fitting a patient with a limb or brace, helping inpatients get their devices sooner and improving rehab outcomes.”
The self-contained unit can carve most foam models in five to 20 minutes and achieve a smooth finish on the most complex of shapes. It’s also being used to carve approximately 50 models monthly for pediatric patients at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.
Rowan McNair is one of many patients who has benefited from a range of molds the new carver can create. The 11-year-old Edmonton boy has a rare disorder that includes symptoms of sleep apnea. For years McNair suffered from the pain of rashes and pressure sores caused by the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask that helps deliver oxygen while sleeping.
“The pain resulted in him not wanting to wear the mask, or ripping it off in the night,” says Angela McNair, Rowan’s mother. “We struggled for years to find an adaptive solution to help him get through the night without discomfort.”
Rowan was referred to the Glenrose where he met Donauer, who took 3D images of his head to create digital files that were sent to the carver. In just a few minutes, a replica foam carving of Rowan’s head was created, from which Donauer made a flexible helmet with straps to secure a precise and more comfortable fit for Rowan’s CPAP mask. The boy can now sleep through the night with his mask on.
“I’m so grateful this technology was available to us,” says Angela.
The prosthetics, orthotists, and seating teams at the Glenrose began training on the new robotic carver last spring and began operational use for patients in June 2023. The staff had been using a three-axis carver to create models, but the equipment became irreparable in November 2022, so an urgent upgraded replacement request was submitted to alleviate a delay in service for patients.
In less than six months, donors to the Glenrose Hospital Foundation — including the Edmonton Civic Employees Charitable Assistance Fund, The Stollery Charitable Foundation, The Allard Foundation, The Baldwin Family Foundation, and Ivan Radostits in memory of Mary Agnes Radostits — contributed $500,000 towards the purchase of the seven-axis robotic carving machine, giving AHS teams access to the most advanced carving capabilities on the market.
“Thanks to the generosity of our charitable partners in the community, the foundation was able to respond quickly to an urgent technological need at the Glenrose,” says Mark Korthuis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenrose Hospital Foundation. “It’s rewarding for our donors to know they are helping staff at the Glenrose provide the fastest, most complex orthotic and prosthetic patient care thanks to this new technology.”
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.
