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Ulcer Healing Orthosis
The Ulcer Healing Orthosis(U.H.O.) was patented and invented by John E. Rooney. The U.H.O. is a custom-made ankle/foot orthosis for the treatment of patients having plantar ulcers is disclosed, which comprises a rigid L-shaped support member and a rigid anterior support shell hingedly articulated to the L-shaped support member. The plantar portion of the L-shaped member further comprises at least one ulcer-protecting hollow spatially located for fitted placement in inferior adjacency to a user's plantar ulcer, thus allowing the user to transfer the user's weight away from the plantar ulcer and facilitating plantar ulcer treatment. The anterior support shell is designed for lateral hinged attachment to the L-shaped member to take advantage of medial tibial flare structure for enhancing the weight-bearing properties of the disclosed orthosis. A flexible, polyethylene hinge member hingedly attaches the anterior support shell to the L-shaped member and securing straps securely attach the anterior support shell in fixed, weight-bearing relation about the proximal, anterior portion of the user's lower leg.

Publications
The U.H.O. was highlighted in the February 2013 Issue - O&P Almanacpage 28-29."'DuPage P&O custom fabricates the majority of its devices, including the patented Ulcer Healing Orthosis (UHO). John Rooney invented the UHO to address patients with diabetic, neuropathic, charcot joint collapse, with foot deformity and plantar ulcer. Patients with peripheral neuropathy, a common side effect of diabetes, can develop foot ulcers that are hard to heal and often lead to amputation. Typically, doctors prescribe a wide variety of readymade ankle-foot orthoses, (AFOs); adjustable shoewear devices; or the gold-standard—serial casting of the lower leg—a technology from the 1960s to reduce pressure on the wound area. Patients are instructed to stay off their feet using a wheelchair, crutches, and/or walkers. Unfortunately, notes Rooney, “Even if the wound does heal, it usually recurs due to the weightbearing devascularization at the point of a bony protuberance of a plantar foot deformity, which needs a permanent support solution like the UHO. “The diabetic population has grown tremendously, and the AFO of choice was the CROW [charcot restraint orthotic walker], which I didn’t think was adequate for certain types of patients,” he says. “For one thing, it provides a temporary solution to a permanent problem. According to Rooney, the custommade UHO is able to both support the lower leg and foot and accommodate one or more ulcers. Patients are encouraged to stand and walk, with accommodative footwear, thus improving blood flow to the affected area and promoting healing. Rooney adjusts the device at weekly follow-up appointments to ensure proper support and patient compliance until the ulcer is completely healed. “When patients use the ulcer healing orthosis and follow their doctor’s instructions, we see a complete healing success rate of about 85 percent,” he says.'"