3D Printed Prosthetic Hands for Children in Need

Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS) occurs when the fetus becomes entangled in fibrous string-like amniotic bands in the womb, restricting blood flow and affecting the baby’s upper arms development. Children who are missing their fingers or arms below the elbow can benefit from these 3D printed devices. These prosthetic hands made from polymers should be seen as tools and not a fully functional prosthetic device. The fingers do not move individually – they have a simple basic grasping function. Children use them for simple tasks like holding water bottles while being able to hold food in their other hand at the same time, catching football or basketball etc. Haifa3D is an Israeli volunteer community that cooperates with the international e-NABLE organization and offers these devices in Israel completely free of charge. It requires custom fit standardized parts based on measurements of the users’ residual limb. The hands are especially helpful for children who do not normally have the option of traditional prosthetic device due to cost, or due to fast growth during the childhood.