Using a laser to align the below knee prosthesis Kalasin Hospital

Abstract

Objectives : Compare the rate of adjustment below knee prosthesis between using a laser to align the below knee prosthesis and traditional method after a trial run.

Design : Experimental study

Setting : Prosthetics and Orthotics. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Kalasin Hospital.

Subjects: Patients who received below knee prosthesis during 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012.

Methods : Study the rate of adjustment below knee prosthesis after a trial run. Then the results were compared between using a laser to align the below knee prosthesis and traditional method which using a plumb line to align prosthesis.

Results : There were 25 males and 5  females  in  the group used a plumb line to align prosthesis, mean age 43.53 ± 10.95 years old, 40%  the right unilateral trans-tibial amputees and 60% were the left side, average time after amputation 12.07 ± 7.46 years. While the group used  lasers to align the prosthesis were 26 males and  4 female, mean age 49.87 ± 13.85 years old. 43.33%  the right unilateral trans-tibial amputees and 56.67% were the left side, average time after amputation 14.15 ± 9.18 years. In both groups, most of them were the farmers and traffic accidents was the first cause. Most of them used the second  prosthesis before. Eleven patients were adjusted prosthesis after a trial run in the group used  a plumb line to align prosthesis, as one patient in a group used lasers to align prosthesis and found that the difference is statistically significant (P <0.05).

Conclusions : Using laser to align the below knee prosthesis have rate adjustment prosthesis after the trial run less than the traditional method.