Great concept Rakesh! Now if they would only read it!
The Barr Foundation is also conducting informal surveys that conclude as
high as 20%-30% of the estimated 160,000 amputee surgeries performed in
this country each year, are less than adequate for long term benefits to the
amputee.
Proper amputee surgery techniques are not followed or dissemenated to
vascular and emergency surgeons.
Proper,pain free subsequent fittings are short term in many cases due to the
effects of formations of nueromas and lack of stablization of muscles,blood
vessels,and bone.The amputee often believes his problems can be cured thru a
proper fitting prosthesis.The fact is that the pain that he endures will not
subside from use of any prosthesis.Surgeons and PTs blame prosthetists,
when the fact is that the correct amputation surgery was not performed.
Doctors often equate amputation surgery as personal failure. Failure of
their profession to stop the disease that resulted in amputation surgery and
failure to have the medical technology to reattach the limb lost as the
result of trama.
Often times the medical profession sees saving the life of the patient as
the only important issue and not the patients ability to have a proper stump
for prosthetic rehabilitation..The patient lives but slowly
dies(figuratively) anyway from the pain that latter develops from problems
related to antiquated surgery techniques.More education is required to
surgeons performing this type of surgery.
Recently,we had the occassion to put an amputee’s surgeon in touch with Dr.
Jan Ertl who performs revision surgery everyday. A 45 minute telephone
conversation between the two surgeons produced a very successfull revision
surgery operation on a elderly amputee who was in considerable pain from
surgery performed twenty years ago!!He underwnt the procedure and is a happy
camper with his old prosthesis that only required scket revision!
The Barr Foundation is proposing a video production of the Ertl procedure of
amputee surgery and revision.
We will keep you posted.I am curious however,how many prosthetist
professionals and amputees have also been at the recieving end of improper
amputee surgery. Particulary like in the case of vascular disease when
there has been time to learn the proper amputation procedure that would
provide the patient with a better chance of being pain free and adapting to
prosthetic rehabilatation. How many amputees have pain at the end of thier
stump all thye time wether wearing a prosthesis or not? We would be
interested in your comments.
Tony Barr
The Barr Foundation
www.oandp.com/barr
—– Original Message —–
From: rakesh jain
To:
Sent: Monday, November 15, 1999 1:22 PM
Subject: Manual
> Dear List members Greetings once again.
>
> Could any one help me out in finding or preparing one manual on the
> “Prescription principles in P&O for the orthopeadic Surgeons”.
>
> Since most surgeons are not equipped with latest terminology in P&O or the
> current advances in this field, therefore it is necessary to present this
> kind of manual to the surgeons in order to help the needy patient to get a
> proper prescription for Orthotics and Prosthetics device.
>
> I would highly appreciate any suggesstions or ideas in this direction.
> Thanking you all in anticipation.
>
> Rakesh Jain, CPO
>
>
