Using Self-Healing Polymers in the Making of Prosthetics and Orthotics: Systematic Review ^†

Background: Self-healing polymers are an innovative breakthrough in material science, where autonomous repair and prolonging service life functionality in biomedical applications is possible. In prosthetics and orthotics, the materials take care of challenges such as mechanical breakdown, degradation upon wear and tear, and frequent replacement. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science were used to conduct a systematic search of studies up until December 2024. The inclusion criteria involved article types, including peer-reviewed articles, conference proceedings, and patents concerned with self-healing polymer use in prosthetic and orthotic applications. Results: 34 studies were included among 1247 identified articles. These self-healing materials were divided into intrinsic (shape memory, dynamic covalent bond) and extrinsic (microcapsule-based, vascular networks). The systems based on polyurethane possessed better mechanical behavior and healing performance (85–95% of recovery). Research indicated a major increase in fatigue resistance of 2–5 fold and an improvement of service life by 40–70 percent. Discussion: It is observed that, presently, significant benefits of self-healing polymers are associated with possible use in prosthetics and orthotics. Nonetheless, there are still issues to be dealt with, such as efficiency in healing at physiological levels and regulatory approval systems. Conclusion: Self-healing polymers have high potential to transform prosthetic and orthotic device production with high durability, less maintenance, and satisfaction from people using the devices.