Sockets Manufactured by CAD/CAM Method Have Positive Effects on the Quality of Life of Patients With Transtibial Amputation

• Published in: American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation Vol. 96; no. 8; pp. 578 - 581
• Main Authors: Karakoç, Mehmet, Batmaz, İbrahim, Sariyildiz, Mustafa Akif, Yazmalar, Levent, Aydin, Abdülkadir, Em, Serda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Copyright Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved 01-08-2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Amputation - methods; Artificial Limbs - psychology; Computer-Aided Design; Female; Humans; Joints - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Prosthesis Design - methods; Prosthesis Implantation - instrumentation; Quality of Life; Tibia - surgery; Treatment Outcome; Walking; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0894-9115; 1537-7385
• DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000689

ObjectivePatients with amputation need prosthesis to comfortably move around. One of the most important parts of a good prosthesis is the socket. Currently, the most commonly used method is the traditional socket manufacturing method, which involves manual work; however, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) is also being used in the recent years. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of sockets manufactured by traditional and CAD/CAM method on clinical characteristics and quality of life of patients with transtibial amputation.
DESIGNThe study included 72 patients with transtibial amputation using prosthesis, 36 of whom had CAD/CAM prosthetic sockets (group 1) and 36 had traditional prosthetic sockets (group 2). Amputation reason, prosthesis lifetime, walking time and distance with prosthesis, pain-free walking time with prosthesis, production time of the prosthesis, and adaptation time to the prosthesis were questioned. Quality of life was assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire and the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales.
RESULTSWalking time and distance and pain-free walking time with prosthesis were significantly better in group 1 than those in group 2. Furthermore, the prosthesis was applied in a significantly shorter time, and socket adaptation time was significantly shorter in group 1. Except emotional role limitation, all 36-item Short Form Healthy Survey questionnaire parameters were significantly better in group 1 than in group 2. Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales activity limitation scores of group 1 were lower, and Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales satisfaction with the prosthesis scores were higher than those in group 2.
CONCLUSIONOur study demonstrated that the sockets manufactured by CAD/CAM methods yield better outcomes in quality of life of patients with transtibial amputation than the sockets manufactured by the traditional method.