Apologies for the earlier incomplete posting.
Dear Collegues,
As a prosthetist working in a clinic in the South of England I receive
referals from a variety of surgical centres. There is one particular
centre which has been sending us a fair number of primary amputees where
the papers accompanying them claim they have had a knee disarticulation but
examination reveals that they have had a Gritti-Stokes procedure. There
seems to be one surgeon at that hospital who believes very firmly that this
is a worthwhile procedure.
As yet, I have been unable to find any prosthetist who thinks this is a
good amputation technique or who sees any advantages of this over a simple
disarticulation or a trans femoral amputation. It seems to me that with the
Gritti-Stokes we have all the disadvantages of the disarticulation
(principally lack of cosmesis) and none of the advantages (self suspension,
proper end bearing, quick healing etc.)
The general opinion I have found here is that a Gritti-Stokes is the sort
of amputation which should be reserved for those not expected to be ambulant
I would be glad to hear the opinions of the subscribers to this list both
medics and prosthetists on the merits and demerits of this procedure.
Thanking you in anticipation,
Grant Crosthwaite
In a world without walls or fences, what use do we have for windows or
gates?
