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A clinical evaluation of stumps in lower limb amputees

A study was carried out on 93 consecutive unilateral below-knee (BK) and 62 above-knee (AK) amputees. The dimensions of the amputation stumps were measured and the general condition and contralateral limb assessed at the time of prosthetic fitting. After one postoperative year, follow-up information for 124 (89%) of the surviving patients was obtained by personal contact. The observations were based on the standard formula for stump classification constructed by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics. The 93 BK stumps had a mean length of 16.0 cm and the 62 AK stumps a mean length of 28.0 cm. The scar on the stump was adherent in 13% of BK and 2% of AK stumps. The scar was deeply wrinkled in 7% of BK stumps and 10% of AK stumps. The scar on the stump was most frequently adherent or deeply wrinkled in trauma patients (33%). The skin was undamaged in 93% of all the patients at the first visit and in 94% at the time of follow-up. The mobility of the stump in the proximal joint was limited at the time of prosthetic fitting in 15% of cases. Phantom pain was reported by 59% and stump pain by 5% of patients at this time. Although the phantom pain was mild in most cases, it was usually still present after one year, and 53% of the surviving patients suffered from phantom pain. At the first visit, 20% of patients had problems in their contralateral leg. During the first postoperative year, 6 contralateral BK amputations were performed in the BK group and one contralateral AK amputation in the AK group. Thus, along with examination of the stump, attention must be paid to the contralateral limb with a view to preserving it. The study supports the usefulness of the standard form and classification of amputation stumps.