Authors
Abstract
Background: Long term follow up of war-related bilateral upper limb amputees is rarely reported. The aim of this study is to evaluate functional problems of residual limbs of these patients.Methods: During a cross sectional study, we gathered 98 patients suffering bilateral upper limb amputation following Iran-Iraq war and an experienced orthopaedic specialist visited all the subjects in regards of stump conditions. The amputees were all men except one and being visited 16.9±5.9 years after injury. The mean age was 37.2±9.7 years (15-82 years).Results: 54.5% of the amputated limbs were at finger or wrist level 34.2% had been performed below elbow and transhumeral or higher amputation was seen in 11.3% of the subjects. 41.8% of the patients had not undergone any more operation after the injury while 24.5% had history of single and 33.2% more than one surgeries after injury (mean: 3.5±4.6 range: 1-33). 40.9% of the stumps didn’t have standard length to wear prosthesis. Too little soft tissue bulk (22%), adhesion of soft tissue to bone and scar (24.2%), and neuroma (37%) were also reported. Evaluations revealed that 35.2% of the stumps needed more surgeries. No statistical correlation between presence of any orthopaedic problem of the stump and use of the prosthesis, level of amputation and number of operation of stumps was found (p < /em>≥0.05).Conclusions: Stump problems along with low rate of limb usage, lack of rehabilitative programs and insufficient training and support for prosthesis usage would result in disuse of assistive devices.
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