Kharkiv State-Owned Experimental Orthopaedic Enterprise

The foundation of the Kharkov state experimental prosthetic and orthopedic plant was laid on the 15th of November 1915, when in Kharkov a prosthetic workshop was opened.
In the first year the number of workshop workers was only 5 persons, who produced from 10 to 12 prosthetic articles per month.
Owing to the increase in number of wounded in the I World War soldiers, according to the decision of the All-Russian Zemskiy Counsel in 1916 the prosthetic workshops were reorganized into Kharkov prosthetic plant.

At the origins of foundation and forming of the prosthetic plant stood such famous scientists as:
Professor Meshchaninov N., Corresponding Member of the AMS Novachenko N., Professor Kotlov A. and Professor Bogdanov N., who laid the foundation of the scientific base for the native prosthesis.

During the ensuing years, besides increase of the productive capacity, the plant replenished with new manufacturing equipment, that by 1925 allowed to produce 9500 units of prosthetic articles and to serve the inhabitants of all Left-bank Ukraine.
Since 1929 in addition to the prosthetic articles and orthopedic footwear the plant began to produce medical facilities for patient care institutions as well. In post-war period besides the production of the prosthetic and orthopedic articles and orthopedic footwear, the production of oxygen tents, heating cots (kuvez), devices for drawing out of tooth shells and other kinds of medical facilities were organized at the plant.

Construction of house complex and building of a new plant became the important event in life of the plant staff. This event was the second birth of the plant. In January 1977 the plant moved into new rooms in which was made favourable conditions for the plant workers and the service of customers greatly improved. Each plant department (medical department, prosthetic workshop, workshop of orthopedic footwear, workshop of prosthetic metal semi-manufactured articles) got new areas, it allowed to increase the volume of output of prosthetic and orthopedic articles and to improve their quality due to use of the new equipment.

The medical department serves the inhabitants of Kharkov and its region. At the plant record there are more than 49,5 thousands of invalids and elderly-aged persons who need prosthetic and orthopedic aid. All of them are served at the plant. Skilled doctors and experienced technicians determine the pathology of sick persons and recommend the kind of article, make all necessary measurements. Traveling medical-technical crews is organized to satisfy wants of invalids from Kharkov and its region.

At present time the plant administration actively introduces wide attraction of Ukrainian scientific institutions and establishments for carrying out research, development and organization of manufacture of new materials and semi-manufactured articles for prosthetic and orthopedic articles.