OBJECTIVE To determine the determinants of lower extremity amputations in diabetics and non-diabetics in a tertiary care institute. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Outpatients Department of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, from January 2007 to December 2010. METHODOLOGY All patien...

©2006 British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery doi:10.1302/0301-620X.88B2. 16381 $2.00 J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 2006;88-B:141-8. Functional fracture bracing, described in 1967, 1 was inspired by the patellar-tendonbearing prosthesis which had recently been developed for below-knee amputees. This prosthesis had eliminated the traditional thigh corset and allowed the transfer of weight-b...

We examined the application of outcome measures to determine changes in function caused by standardized functional prosthetic gait training and the use of four different prosthetic feet in people with unilateral transtibial limb loss. Two self-report measures (Prosthetic Evaluation Questionnaire-Mobility Scale [PEQ-13] and Locomotor Capabilities Index [LCI]), and three performance-based measure...

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) demonstrate a technique that can be used to directly estimate the inertial properties of a below-knee prosthesis, and (2) contrast the effects of the proposed technique and that of using intact limb inertial properties on joint kinetic estimates during walking in unilateral, transtibial amputees. An oscillation and reaction board system was validated ...

MAGNEZIX® (Syntellix AG, Hanover, Germany) is a biodegradable magnesium-based alloy (MgYREZr) which is currently used to manufacture bioabsorbable compression screws. To date, there are very few studies reporting on a limited number of elective foot surgeries using this innovative implant. This case report describes the application of this screw for osteochondral fracture fixation at the humera...

PURPOSE Complete fibula absence often presents with significant lower-limb deformity. Parental counselling regarding management is paramount in achieving the optimum functional outcome. Amputation offers a single surgical event with minimal complications. This study compares outcomes with an amputation protocol to those using an extension prosthesis. METHOD Thirty-two patients were identified...

Soft tissue infections are common and usually respond rapidly to oral antibiotics; if empirical therapy fails then exposure to unusual organisms should be considered. Septic arthritis requires early recognition, identification of the infecting pathogen and urgent joint washout to prevent irreversible cartilage and bone destruction. Prosthetic joint infection is uncommon but has high morbidity; ...

This article describes the development of a prototype prosthetic ankle-foot system that passively adapts to surface slopes on each step of walking. Engineering analyses were performed to design the cam clutch and clutch engagement and disengagement mechanism. The prototype was tested by a veteran with a unilateral transtibial amputation. Kinematic and kinetic data were recorded while the subjec...

OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to examine the ability of patients to return to driving cars and riding motorcycles after lower limb amputation, and to explore the factors that significantly affect such ability. DESIGN A sample of 90 participants, mean age 55.2 years (standard deviation 12.5), were recruited from a tertiary hospital. Inclusion criteria were: age over 18 years; unilatera...

The great diversity of prosthetic mechanisms available nowadays leads to the question of which type of artificial foot would be the most advisable for a particular person. To answer correctly, it is necessary to establish, in an objective way, the performance of each type of prosthetic mechanism. This knowledge is obtained by means of the study of the subject-prosthesis interaction, both in sta...