Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
3D prosthetic leg designed for red-lored Amazon parrot with leg
By Galicia, Cecilia et al.·Published in Journal of avian medicine and surgery·2018·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Design and Use of a 3D Prosthetic Leg in a Red-lored Amazon Parrot ( Amazona autumnalis).
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A red-lored Amazon parrot had its left leg amputated and suffered injuries to its right leg from aggression by a cage mate. To help the parrot move better, veterinarians designed a 3D prosthetic leg. After trying three different models over four months, the final version allowed the parrot to stand and walk comfortably by fitting securely to its stump. This innovative solution improved the parrot's mobility and quality of life significantly.
People also search for: parrot leg amputation · 3D prosthetic for birds · red-lored Amazon parrot mobility solutions
Abstract
A three-dimensional (3D) prosthesis was designed and built for a red-lored Amazon parrot ( Amazona autumnalis) with a pre-existing amputation of the distal left leg at the tibiotarsal-tarsometatarsal joint and injuries to the right leg caused by cage companion aggression. The prosthesis consisted of a straight main imprint, with a round element at both ends to provide stability, and a bridge connecting this to a socket without a bottom where the stump could be accommodated and held securely with self-adhesive bandaging. Over a 4-month period, 3 different 3D prosthetic models were made and evaluated. The first model was fitted, but the parrot would only use the tip of the main imprint to stand and walk. The second model was designed with a semicircular imprint with only 1 round element at the cranial end, a different bridge to accommodate the change to the main imprint, and the same socket. With these changes, the parrot was able to place the imprint of the prosthesis on the floor to stand and move freely around its enclosure. To accommodate morphologic changes on the stump, a third model was created consisting of the same imprint and bridge, but the socket was cut vertically all the way on one side to allow distention on its diameter and provide a long-lasting fit to the stump over time.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29905105/