Background: (not service connected)

The tendons in my hands have essentially become detached and snap back and forth off the knuckles. While there is surgery that could correct them, the surgeon says they won't do this until they actually cause a serious problem such as hood ruptures (could be risky).

Pain does not seem count, even though that pain over the years has come from the fibers holding the tendons in place coming apart and the tendons pushing on the extensor hoods.

In May I had a hood rupture in one finger and I will be getting surgery for that next year, but they won't repair the others because they don't consider the other tendons to be "a problem" unless they also experience hood rupture.

The doctor says I will "just have to live with it" and I have essentially "worn out my hands".

I was discussing things with her and she did say that wearing a brace could decrease pain/prevent tendon movement, allowing me to use my hands more than I can now.

We discussed that the type of brace I would need that would allow maximum hand movement (no need to lock the wrist) and no tendon movement would be one that goes onto the hand much like a fingerless motorcycle glove, locking the hand in place between the knuckles and first joint preventing bending there.

I went to orthopedics where we went through every brace they had access to and essentially got told that what I need doesn't exist.

Had to settle on full immobilization brace that I will wear while sleeping, but this will not really be feasible for something I need to likely wear the rest of my life.

So:

Using a fingerless glove as starting design, I can design and build an initial solid low cost prototype of the exact brace I need with the final material being sculpey, but this is not a good material for long term use (too fragile).

I just do not have that capability, tools, or monetary funds to feasibly build a long term use brace.

Once I do have the prototype, it could theoretically be able to be 3D scanned and then 3D printed in a more robust material.

Is there anyway to get the VA system to do this?