Hello!
This past June the annual conference for the International Anaplastology Association (@anaplastology_iaa) was held in Scottsdale, Arizona. After following the conferences over the past several years, I was finally able to attend, and it was definitely worth the wait! The whole event was a blast, and an amazing opportunity to learn about new materials, techniques, and all things Anaplastology. Having spoken with many of the skilled anaplastologists in our field either online or through email, it was great to finally put faces to names and meet some of the heavy-hitters in the profession. Their experience is invaluable, and it was really great to pick their brains, talk shop, and trade war stories.
The conference was a 4-day event, consisting of a day of pre-conference workshops, 2 days of lectures and presentations, followed by a day of post-conference workshops. There’s a lot of information to cover, so I’ll split it up into two posts - the first 2 days, and the last 2 days. I also tried to include the Instagram accounts of everyone who participated in the conference (when possible), so please visit their profiles to see more of their incredible work!
DAY 1 - Pre-Conference Workshops
The first workshop was organized by Mark Waters and Alan Bocca from Technovent (@technovent1), and covered some of the science behind silicone and the ways in which it can be manipulated to change its properties. We were each tasked with making a silicone with specific properties by using combinations of several base:catalyst mixtures, as well as a gel with a “sticky” surface. Once the materials were mixed to our liking, we used a mold to create a simple gel-backed nipple prosthesis that would stick to skin, without the need for adhesive. It was a very informative tutorial and not only familiarized the participants with the materials, but explained a bit about what is actually happening with the silicone on a chemical level.
The second workshop was given by Stefan Knauss from Aesthetic Prosthetics Inc. (@aesthetic_prosthetics) in Pasadena, CA, and John McFall from Factor II, and went over some of the basics of high consistency silicone, and how to work with the material. HCRs are much more dense than the silicone used in facial prosthetics, which are typically liquid. When using high consistency silicone, you typically need to roll / mill A:B components into a sheet, which can then be wrapped around a form, layered, etc. This is a common method for making pliable socket liners, as well as for making custom aesthetic covers for limb prostheses. The consistency of the material is more similar to that of clay, which allows you to shape it, carve into it, and add textures. By adding pigments and flocking to the material during the milling process, you can create virtually any color and opacity you want! HCRs also come in a variety of shore hardnesses, which can be combined in interesting ways to achieve more complex structural forms (ie. flexible joints, reinforced soles, etc.). For this workshop, we saw the differences between several material types and shores, how to properly mill the material to avoid air bubbles, and learned about the various tools and techniques used to work with the material. Each participant then had the opportunity to make a simple liner for an arm prosthesis over a plaster cast of a stump.
Stefan Knauss preparing to roll HCR through a mill - Plaster arm stump clamped to table.
The first day ended with a meet and greet where everyone rubbed elbows, talked shop, and basked in the glorious Arizona heat!
DAY 2 - Scientific Session / Lectures Pt. 1
The first day of lectures started off with a very interesting presentation by Eleanor Crook (@eleanorcrooksculpture) on the topic of anatomical and dermatological wax models, both historical and modern. I had the pleasure of meeting Eleanor in 2017 at the Ceroplastics International Congress on Wax Modelling in London - a very interesting group of people working in anatomical wax works, restorations, history, and much more.
(SIDE NOTE: I had the opportunity to present on the topic of Anaplastology at the Wax Modelling Congress in 2017, and the accompanying paper can be read HERE)
Several IAA members participated in a panel discussion on the desired / optimal properties of different materials, and which materials are ideal for particular prosthetic devices. It was interesting to see how many different materials and techniques are routinely used, and to hear how these materials have been applied and modified in order to achieve a specific result. Materials and techniques can vary quite a bit from clinic to clinic, so hearing first-hand accounts of material successes and failures was very useful, which led to some interesting conversations between members about their personal experiences with certain materials. Every anaplastologist experiments with materials in order to see what is possible or how properties can be manipulated and improved…with varying degrees of success (and I say this from personal experience!). These conversations are a great way to find solutions to existing problems, and for implementing new techniques and materials in our own personal work.
There were a lot of great presentations - too many to go over in detail - but here are some of the highlights from what we saw:
The Digital Revolution in Maxillofacial Prosthetics: Is There a Price to be Paid? - with David Reisberg, DDS, FACP, FAAMP. Dr. Reisberg is one of the surgeons at the Craniofacial Center at my alma mater - UIC. I had the opportunity to work with him briefly as a student in the Biomedical Visualization Master’s Program, and he is a wealth of knowledge!
Integration of Computer Aided Modeling and Manufacturing into Maxillofacial Prosthetics - with Banu Karayazgan Saracoglu, DDS.
Prosthetic Management of a Mid-facial Maligant Fungating Wound - with Allison Vest, MS, CCA (@medartpros_south). This was a very interesting case study on a very difficult subject, which won Allison the award for “best presentation” (congrats!).
Adhesive Factors: Success with Adhesive-Retained Prostheses - with Paul Tanner, CCA (@paultanner_prosthetics).
Using HCR Silicone to Customize Eyeglass Frames for Nasal Prosthesis Retention - with Gina Cohen, MFA, CCA (@aesthetic_prosthetics).
Placement of Orbital Implants for Facial Prosthesis - with Stefan Edmonson.
Best Laid Plans: When Things Don’t Go According to Ours…. - with Akhila Regunathan, BFA, MS (@aregunat).
3D-Printing in Medicine: From Models, Guides and Prosthetics to New Advanced Regenerative Biomaterials and Bioprinting - with Adam Jakus, Ph.D., from Dimension Inx.
Fundraising Strategies in Anaplastology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics: A Global Perspective - with Rodrigo Salazar Gamarra, DDS (@dr.rodrigosalazar).
Hiring Process for an Anaplastology Clinic: Quebec’s Team Tests - with Annie Laverdiere.
Educational Pathways in Anaplastology - with Erin Stevens, MS (@facialprostheticsinfo) and Roberto Fanganiello, Ph.D. (@robertofanganiello).
And I was fortunate enough to give the final presentation of the day on the topic of Anaplastology and Social Media. I started the @oxenfree_prosthetics account as an attempt to make more information about Anaplastology available to the general public, and this presentation went over some of the interesting and relevant data that I have collected since the beginning of this project. In addition to highlighting some of these trends, I also tried to give a comprehensive breakdown of social media strategies for the promotion of Anaplastology. For anyone who is interested in seeing the presentation, the slides are available HERE.
The last event of the day consisted of a “Techniques Showcase”, where several people shared some of the materials, techniques, and processes they use in their own work. Paul Rothchild (@emerge_prosthetics) gave a very interesting and detailed break down of his process for creating realistic finger, hand, toe, and foot prostheses (IG video below). His digital workflow allows him to utilize 3D scanning and 3D printing in order to create a prosthesis remotely, while still achieving a high degree of accuracy. Will Lakey (@tiny_llama_wino) shared some of the techniques he uses to make extremely lifelike oculars. And Akhila Regunathan (@aregunat) shared her protocol for making patient-specific bar structures, each of which is custom made by Panthera Dental (@panthera_dental). Unfortunately I was unable to visit each station to see all the showcases, so for those I missed, I apologize!
…A lot of ground to cover - and that’s only the first 2 days! The follow-up post will cover the last 2 days of the conference, which included a keynote presentation by Academy Award winning special effects artist Kazuhiro Tsuji (@kazustudios), an awesome tutorial on making SFX eyeballs by Fourth Seal Studios (@fourthsealstudios), and much, much more!
Stay tuned!
-Ali