This Prosthesis Cover Helps Amputees Return to the Water After Surgery
People who have had osseointegration surgery can confidently enjoy themselves in the water with the help of the Medi-Dry cover, the creation of Charlie Fitzgerald, the owner of Hot n Dry Drysuits in Australia.
Osseointegration surgery entails the fusion of the prosthetic limb directly to the bone. This form of surgery typically leaves an open wound where the metal meets the bone. The Medi-Dry overcomes a severe problem for many amputees by keeping the skin around the limb protrusion dry, preventing the risk of infection.
Because of the Medi-Dry cover, Fitzgerald recently received an award at the Batemans Bay Rotary Club's Pride in Workmanship.
The first Medi-Dry prosthesis cover was created four years ago when a swimmer asked Fitzgerald and the team if they could help him get back into the pool. The Medi-Dry was invented, and the swimmer returned to the water for the first time since his amputation. He has been swimming with the Medi-Dry ever since.
As of this publication, the Medi-Dry is believed to be the only cover in the market that keeps residual limbs completely dry. Fitzgerald and the team customize each cover to suit the customer's needs. This is because each leg is different, and surgeons complete the operation on different areas of the leg.
Medi-Dry was modeled after Fitzgerald's own neck seal on his dry suit, which allows them to scuba dive while staying completely dry. One Medi-Dry takes about 12 hours for the team to make.
According to Fitzgerald, one of the most unforgettable Medi-Dry orders was for an amputee who wanted to traverse the Kokoda Track, a 96-kilometer single-file thoroughfare that runs through Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea. The track is known as the location of the battle between Australian and Japanese forces during World War II.
The customer needed a cover to protect his entire leg—from the prosthetic foot to the groin. According to Fitzgerald, the customer successfully completed the trek while the Medi-Dry kept his prosthetic limb clean and dry.
Another memorable order was for a competitive swimmer who was able to get back to the pool just two weeks after his amputation surgery.
Since Fitzgerald created the first Medi-Dry prosthesis cover four years ago, orders from all over Australia and the world poured in. While Fitzgerald will always take pride in creating dry suits for scuba divers and water skiers, making Medi-Dry prosthesis covers makes him grateful for his job. He gets a deeper sense of purpose for helping people with limb loss get back to doing the things they love after their surgery.
