title: Prosthetic usage following major lower extremity amputation.
abstract: There were 157 patients following major lower extremity amputation who were evaluated to determine functional prosthetic ambulation. Twenty-eight patients were evaluated in the amputee clinic and found not to be candidates for prosthetic fitting. Forty-one patients were fit with a prosthesis but did not become functional prosthetic ambulators. Eighty-eight patients became functional prosthetic ambulators. Of all above-the-knee amputees, 46% became functional prosthetic ambulators. Only 19% of bilateral lower extremity amputees became functional prosthetic ambulators. Of all below-the-knee amputees, 66% became functional ambulators. The presence of coronary artery disease decreased the ambulatory potential in above-the-knee or bilateral amputees but not in below-the-knee amputees. A screening method for elderly, dysvascular amputees should be instituted prior to prosthetic fitting.
authors.affiliation: Charlotte Rehabilitation Hospital, North Carolina.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Humphries
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001186:Artificial Limbs / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies