Comparison of removable rigid dressing and elastic bandage in reducing the residual limb volume of below knee amputees.
OBJECTIVE
Compare the reducing volumes of the residual limbs between the removable rigid dressing method and the elastic bandaging technique.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.


METHODS
Twenty-six below-the-knee amputees (11 men (42.3%) and 15 women (57.69%)) who were informed and gave written consents were included in this study. The mean age was 68.19 +/- 10.83 years. The patients who met the eligible criteria were randomized into two groups. Fourteen subjects (53.8%) were in the EB group and 12 (46.2%) in the RRD group. The first group was taught to use a removable rigid dressing (RRD) while the second group was taught to use an elastic bandage (EB) for stump shaping and volume reduction. Both groups were trained with the same pre-prosthetic program. The circumference of the stump was measured and calculated for volume at the beginning, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. The volume reduction was compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
Twenty subjects were amputated on the right side (76.92%). The majority underlying was diabetes mellitus (80.77%). Fifteen cases of amputation were peripheral vascular disease (57.69%). The stump volume reduction of the RRD group at 2 and 4 weeks were 42.73 +/- 62.70 and 79.9 +/- 103.33 cm3, respectively. The stump volume reduction of the EB group were 21.89 +/- 118.49 and 83.03 +/- 113.05 cm3, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences of volume reduction between the two groups at 4 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Removable rigid dressing had a tendency to reduce residual limb volume of below knee amputees faster than elastic bandage at 2 weeks but the decreasing volumes were not different at 4 weeks.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Siriporn
S
Janchai
Jariya
J
Boonhong
Jirayoo
J
Tiamprasit
D000368:Aged; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000601:surgery*; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic; D001458:Bandages; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000503:physiopathology; D017719:Diabetic Foot; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D011184:Postoperative Period