PD-3-03-03
ATYPICAL FUNCTIONAL PROSTHESES FOR BILATERAL ABOVE-ELBOW AMPUTEES - THEIR USEFULNESS IN DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES AND PROFESSIONAL WORK
K. Milanowska (Institute of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Poznan, Poland)
Typical kinetic prostheses with socket arm, elbow joint, forearm and endings (prosthetic hand or hook) are not very useful for work and daily living activities for the bilateral above-elbow amputees. In close cooperation with patients who fully accepted their disability and who wanted to be professionally active and independent, the Rehabilitation Department University of Poznan - elaborated and constructed manipulators as functional prostheses. Manipulators are sockets made of plastic with various changeable endings useful in daily living activities and work.
We present 4 types of manipulators with various sets of functional ending depending on patient's needs.
The presentation will be in the form of a 20-min. long video.
PD-3-03-04
PROSTHETIC USAGE IN UNILATERAL CONGENITAL UPPER LIMB AMPUTATION
Klaas Postema, Viola van den Donk (SMK, Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
Purpose: To establish the frequency in which children stop using their prosthesis and to determine possible causes?
Method: It concerns a cohort study with all children who consulted our rehabilitation clinic (Sint Maartens Kliniek) between 1976 and 1996, in relation to a unilateral congenital amputation of fore-arm or hand. A questionnaire was used to gather the information. The questionnaire was send by mail and discussed by phone. Thirtythree children were involved. The response on the questionnaire was 97%.
Some results: 34% of the children stopped using their prosthesis. The incidence of stopping is highest at the ages from 12 till 18 years. A clear association was found for the experienced emotional support from the professionals by the parents. Dissatisfaction of the children with their prosthesis is also positively associated with stopping the use of the prosthesis. No association was found for the age at which the first prosthesis was provided and the opinion about cosmetic aspects.
Conclusion: The prevalence of stopping the use of the prosthesis is in agreement with literature. Findings about starting age and cosmetics are not in agreement with literature. It is supposed that use of the prosthesis is related to the usefulness. Little children mainly perform activities in which they need two hands. At the other side, adolescents more and more perform cognitive activities in which they use their brains and less their hands.
