What diseases can be caused by long-term use of inappropriate prosthetics and how to deal with them?
As prosthetic users may not know, long-term use of inappropriate prosthetics will cause some diseases. So, what diseases will cause? How to deal with these problems?
Friction injury of skin on load-bearing part of residual limb
It is more common in the bone protrusion of the residual limb. At first, the surface of the skin becomes red, and then blisters may form and the epidermis may be scratched. Long-term use of unsuitable lower leg prostheses can cause bursa in the fibular head (due to long-term friction of the cavity wall against the skin of the bone protrusion to form a mass), and it is called slip when there is redness, swelling, heat, and pain Bursitis. The prevention of such problems should be the mainstay, pay attention to the skin damage of the residual limb at any time, find it in time, find the cause in time, and solve it in time.
Most of these problems are caused by the inappropriate reception cavity of the residual limb, and sometimes it may be caused by improper wearing. It may also be caused by the muscle atrophy of the residual limb and the bone protrusion is too obvious. Generally, it is necessary to ask the prosthetic technician to adjust the reception cavity to solve.
A small number of amputees have bone spurs at the end of the residual limb, which often causes local pain and skin abrasion and requires surgical resection.
Dermatosis using stumps in common receiving cavity
Most of them do not do a good job in the cleaning of the residual limbs and prostheses, and folliculitis caused by bacterial infections or dermatophytes caused by various molds. For this kind of problems, prevention should be given priority, and the cleaning of residual limbs, socks and receiving chambers should be done well. If a skin disease is found, the prosthesis needs to be stopped and treated in time.
Muscle atrophy and blood flow disorders
Some muscles of the residual limb are no longer moving after being cut off, and the prosthetic limb is often compressed, so after long-term use of the prosthetic limb, the residual limb muscles will shrink more and more. Muscle atrophy can cause poor blood circulation in the residual limb, and the residual limb is cold and easily causes residual limb pain and phantom limb pain. In order to prevent muscle atrophy, amputees should pay attention to doing phantom limb exercise frequently.
Generally, amputees retain the sense of phantom limbs. In phantom limb exercise exercises, thigh amputees can practice continually stretching their knees and flexing their knees. Each time they extend or bend their knees, they must continue to exert force for more than 10 seconds; Practicing the fantasies of raising the instep and pedaling hard.
In addition, calf amputees should take care to adjust the stump receiving cavity to full weight bearing or full contact. For those who use lower leg prostheses with knee hinges and thigh ties, care should also be taken not to tie the middle belt on the thigh too tightly so as not to affect the blood flow of the stump.
Lymphatic stagnation inflammation of soft tissue at the end of residual limb
Modern lower limb prosthetic receiving chambers are mostly closed. If the residual limb can fully contact with the receiving chamber, there will generally be no problem. If there is a gap between the end of the residual limb and the bottom of the receiving chamber, the residual limb should be lifted once.
As the prosthesis moves downward, the gap in the receiving cavity becomes larger, and a negative pressure appears, which is equivalent to doing a cupping in traditional Chinese medicine. The soft tissue at the end of the residual limb will appear red, swollen, and tender for a long time, called lymphatic stagnation Sexual inflammation. For this kind of problem, prevention is the main reason. It is required that all closed reception chambers of thigh or calf prosthesis must be in full contact with the residual limb.
If full contact is not possible, do not force to make a closed receiving cavity. For patients with stagnation inflammation, it is recommended to discontinue the prosthesis in time, bandage with elastic bandage, if necessary, can be combined with hot compress or some physical therapy.
Scoliosis and low back pain
Mostly the length of the lower limb prosthesis assembly is not suitable. Too long or too short will cause the amputee to tilt and spine scoliosis when standing, and it will cause low back pain after a long time. It should be discovered early, and the prosthetics should be asked to help adjust it. It is generally required that the healthy limbs and prostheses are the same length, and the thigh prostheses can be shorter, and should not exceed 1 cm.
Use silicone sleeve / gel sleeve, residual limb allergies, blood flow disorders
Because the silicone sleeve is absorbed on the skin in all directions, the initial use feels a strong sense of pressure, and even rash and chicken pox appear. At this time, you need to keep the residual limb clean, apply the medicine for treating rash, and briefly wear the prosthesis (silicone sleeve). When the residual limb is not traumatized (ruptured rash / eczema, etc.), apply some female moisturizing lotion / Vaseline (the appropriate amount is already, most of it is too slippery, the residual limb will slowly slide outward, affecting the wearing effect of the prosthesis.), This can Reduce the pressure on the silicone sleeve / gel sleeve and improve comfort.
PS: Silicone as a body implant material, from the beginning of the invention to the present, there is no case that humans are allergic to this material. If the skin discomfort or small red rash caused by wearing the silicone sleeve may be allergic to some skin protection substances added to the silicone sleeve. However, 99% of discomfort symptoms are caused by incorrect use of silicone sleeves.
For example, the most common type of rash near the edge of the silicone sleeve is that the edge line is a boundary line of skin pressure, because the skin rash or small blisters caused by uneven pressure on the inside and outside of the silicone sleeve.
There are two simplest solutions: 1. Apply moisturizing and lubricating substances such as hand cream / Vaseline near the edge line can effectively reduce the pressure. 2. Using cloth materials like socks to make a group of skin and silicone sleeves near the edge of the silicone sleeve is also an immediate method.
kin hairs caught between silicone sleeves can also cause discomfort. The simplest solution is to remove body hair to eliminate discomfort.
Secondly, the nervous system of our body is adjusted according to changes in the external environment. Generally, after using silicone sleeves for a few months, the sympathetic nerves will slowly passivate, and then the skin will become less and less prone to sweat. Remember to wear silicone sleeves Do not leave any gaps in the silicone sleeve when it is. If there are gaps, sweat will slowly accumulate in the gaps.
If too much sweat accumulates and the pressure inside the silicone sleeve is balanced with the atmospheric pressure, it may cause the residual limb to slip out.
Friction injury of skin on load-bearing part of residual limb
It is more common in the bone protrusion of the residual limb. At first, the surface of the skin becomes red, and then blisters may form and the epidermis may be scratched. Long-term use of unsuitable lower leg prostheses can cause bursa in the fibular head (due to long-term friction of the cavity wall against the skin of the bone protrusion to form a mass), and it is called slip when there is redness, swelling, heat, and pain Bursitis. The prevention of such problems should be the mainstay, pay attention to the skin damage of the residual limb at any time, find it in time, find the cause in time, and solve it in time.
Most of these problems are caused by the inappropriate reception cavity of the residual limb, and sometimes it may be caused by improper wearing. It may also be caused by the muscle atrophy of the residual limb and the bone protrusion is too obvious. Generally, it is necessary to ask the prosthetic technician to adjust the reception cavity to solve.
A small number of amputees have bone spurs at the end of the residual limb, which often causes local pain and skin abrasion and requires surgical resection.
Dermatosis using stumps in common receiving cavity
Most of them do not do a good job in the cleaning of the residual limbs and prostheses, and folliculitis caused by bacterial infections or dermatophytes caused by various molds. For this kind of problems, prevention should be given priority, and the cleaning of residual limbs, socks and receiving chambers should be done well. If a skin disease is found, the prosthesis needs to be stopped and treated in time.
Muscle atrophy and blood flow disorders
Some muscles of the residual limb are no longer moving after being cut off, and the prosthetic limb is often compressed, so after long-term use of the prosthetic limb, the residual limb muscles will shrink more and more. Muscle atrophy can cause poor blood circulation in the residual limb, and the residual limb is cold and easily causes residual limb pain and phantom limb pain. In order to prevent muscle atrophy, amputees should pay attention to doing phantom limb exercise frequently.
Generally, amputees retain the sense of phantom limbs. In phantom limb exercise exercises, thigh amputees can practice continually stretching their knees and flexing their knees. Each time they extend or bend their knees, they must continue to exert force for more than 10 seconds; Practicing the fantasies of raising the instep and pedaling hard.
In addition, calf amputees should take care to adjust the stump receiving cavity to full weight bearing or full contact. For those who use lower leg prostheses with knee hinges and thigh ties, care should also be taken not to tie the middle belt on the thigh too tightly so as not to affect the blood flow of the stump.
Lymphatic stagnation inflammation of soft tissue at the end of residual limb
Modern lower limb prosthetic receiving chambers are mostly closed. If the residual limb can fully contact with the receiving chamber, there will generally be no problem. If there is a gap between the end of the residual limb and the bottom of the receiving chamber, the residual limb should be lifted once.
As the prosthesis moves downward, the gap in the receiving cavity becomes larger, and a negative pressure appears, which is equivalent to doing a cupping in traditional Chinese medicine. The soft tissue at the end of the residual limb will appear red, swollen, and tender for a long time, called lymphatic stagnation Sexual inflammation. For this kind of problem, prevention is the main reason. It is required that all closed reception chambers of thigh or calf prosthesis must be in full contact with the residual limb.
If full contact is not possible, do not force to make a closed receiving cavity. For patients with stagnation inflammation, it is recommended to discontinue the prosthesis in time, bandage with elastic bandage, if necessary, can be combined with hot compress or some physical therapy.
Scoliosis and low back pain
Mostly the length of the lower limb prosthesis assembly is not suitable. Too long or too short will cause the amputee to tilt and spine scoliosis when standing, and it will cause low back pain after a long time. It should be discovered early, and the prosthetics should be asked to help adjust it. It is generally required that the healthy limbs and prostheses are the same length, and the thigh prostheses can be shorter, and should not exceed 1 cm.
Use silicone sleeve / gel sleeve, residual limb allergies, blood flow disorders
Because the silicone sleeve is absorbed on the skin in all directions, the initial use feels a strong sense of pressure, and even rash and chicken pox appear. At this time, you need to keep the residual limb clean, apply the medicine for treating rash, and briefly wear the prosthesis (silicone sleeve). When the residual limb is not traumatized (ruptured rash / eczema, etc.), apply some female moisturizing lotion / Vaseline (the appropriate amount is already, most of it is too slippery, the residual limb will slowly slide outward, affecting the wearing effect of the prosthesis.), This can Reduce the pressure on the silicone sleeve / gel sleeve and improve comfort.
PS: Silicone as a body implant material, from the beginning of the invention to the present, there is no case that humans are allergic to this material. If the skin discomfort or small red rash caused by wearing the silicone sleeve may be allergic to some skin protection substances added to the silicone sleeve. However, 99% of discomfort symptoms are caused by incorrect use of silicone sleeves.
For example, the most common type of rash near the edge of the silicone sleeve is that the edge line is a boundary line of skin pressure, because the skin rash or small blisters caused by uneven pressure on the inside and outside of the silicone sleeve.
There are two simplest solutions: 1. Apply moisturizing and lubricating substances such as hand cream / Vaseline near the edge line can effectively reduce the pressure. 2. Using cloth materials like socks to make a group of skin and silicone sleeves near the edge of the silicone sleeve is also an immediate method.
kin hairs caught between silicone sleeves can also cause discomfort. The simplest solution is to remove body hair to eliminate discomfort.
Secondly, the nervous system of our body is adjusted according to changes in the external environment. Generally, after using silicone sleeves for a few months, the sympathetic nerves will slowly passivate, and then the skin will become less and less prone to sweat. Remember to wear silicone sleeves Do not leave any gaps in the silicone sleeve when it is. If there are gaps, sweat will slowly accumulate in the gaps.
If too much sweat accumulates and the pressure inside the silicone sleeve is balanced with the atmospheric pressure, it may cause the residual limb to slip out.
