Does the length of the stump affect the fit of the prosthesis?

Although the current prosthetic limb assembly technology does not have particularly strict requirements on the condition of the residual limb, if you want to obtain a good rehabilitation effect, the condition of the residual limb is also one of the important factors.

1. The stump should be pain-free.

After fitting a prosthetic limb, amputees often complain of slight pain. Unless there are special circumstances, this pain will gradually ease and disappear as the amputee adapts to the prosthetic limb. Pain that affects the fitting of prostheses is often caused by inflammation of the stump, neuroma, bone spurs, excessive bone end length, bony ridge protrusion and phantom pain. The pain will be treated separately according to the cause, and the prosthetic limb will be installed after the condition is cured.

2. Appropriate length ensures sufficient leverage and good muscle control strength.

If the residual limb is too short, it will not only make it difficult to assemble the prosthesis and maintain the stability of the prosthesis, but also increase the muscle burden on the residual limb and affect the function of the prosthesis. If the residual limb is too long, blood circulation disorders will easily occur, causing edema and ulcers at the incision, which is also not conducive to the assembly and movement of the prosthesis.

The ideal length for thigh amputation and calf amputation residual limbs is the length left by the middle 1/3 amputation. In principle, upper limb amputations should be kept as long as possible to facilitate the function of the residual limb and control of the prosthetic limb. Generally, the location of amputation depends on the degree of injury to the limb and the condition of blood circulation there. To the extent possible, the doctor will try to preserve the function of the joint and the length suitable for fitting a prosthesis.

3. The normal range of motion of the joints should be maintained.

Due to lack of activity or poor positioning of the limb after surgery, joint contracture and ankylosis may occur in the limb after surgery, which is not conducive to prosthetic assembly. Even if a prosthetic limb is installed, the function of the prosthetic limb will be greatly weakened. Therefore, before assembling a prosthetic limb, it is necessary to strengthen the functional exercise of the residual limb, and then assemble the prosthetic limb after returning to normal activities.

4. The skin scar should have no adhesion to the deep tissue and retain a moderate amount of soft tissue.

Appropriate sites and incisions should be selected during surgery to avoid incision at stressed areas. Incision scars should be minimized and incision infection should be prevented to ensure primary wound healing. Since amputation surgery is a last resort operation, especially emergency amputation, sometimes conditions do not allow the creation of an ideal residual limb. The patient can only amputate or modify the residual limb to create a more ideal residual limb after life is out of danger.

5. The shape of the stump is stable, that is, the stump has been finalized.

After surgery, the stump may thicken due to edema. As the edema subsides and the tissue shrinks, the stump shrinks and becomes thinner. When the shape is unstable during the deformation process, it is best to install a temporary prosthesis. Once the stump has been shaped, pressure-resistant, wear-resistant, and has certain muscle strength, a permanent prosthesis can be installed.