A Case Report of a Patient who Achieved Recovery of Walking Independence with the Adjustment of the Prosthesis after Bilateral Leg Amputation and Spinal Cord Injury / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

This report describes a case of an amputee with a lumber spinal cord injury who successfully recovered ambulation with the use of prosthesis.A 30-year-old man with schizophrenia underwent amputation of the lower legs and concurrently developed lumbar spinal cord injury from of a suicide attempt. After the treatment of stump plasty and posterior fusion, the patient was transferred to our facility. Lower-extremity prostheses for both legs were fitted, and orthostatic training was commenced following admission. During the initial evaluation, the patient could not maintain a stable standing position because of weakness in the hip extensor muscle. An inflexion angle of the prosthesis was set to 0° to extend the knee joint and achieve standing stability. Appropriate adjustments of the prosthesis were made as required, specifically addressing the paraplegia caused by his lumbar spinal cord injury. Thus, the patient successfully regained ambulation with the treatment.Recovering walking independence after bilateral lower leg amputations or paraplegia caused by lumber spinal cord injury is not uncommon. However, this case is unique in that the muscle weakness caused by lumbar spinal cord injury presented unforeseen difficulties for the patient to achieve ambulation, which is not ordinarily observed in amputation rehabilitation cases. No similar cases have been reported in which patients concurrently suffered from both these conditions in Japan；therefore, this case is extremely rare.

A Case Report of a Patient who Achieved Recovery of Walking Independence with the Adjustment of the Prosthesis after Bilateral Leg Amputation and Spinal Cord Injury / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

This report describes a case of an amputee with a lumber spinal cord injury who successfully recovered ambulation with the use of prosthesis.A 30-year-old man with schizophrenia underwent amputation of the lower legs and concurrently developed lumbar spinal cord injury from of a suicide attempt. After the treatment of stump plasty and posterior fusion, the patient was transferred to our facility. Lower-extremity prostheses for both legs were fitted, and orthostatic training was commenced following admission. During the initial evaluation, the patient could not maintain a stable standing position because of weakness in the hip extensor muscle. An inflexion angle of the prosthesis was set to 0° to extend the knee joint and achieve standing stability. Appropriate adjustments of the prosthesis were made as required, specifically addressing the paraplegia caused by his lumbar spinal cord injury. Thus, the patient successfully regained ambulation with the treatment.Recovering walking independence after bilateral lower leg amputations or paraplegia caused by lumber spinal cord injury is not uncommon. However, this case is unique in that the muscle weakness caused by lumbar spinal cord injury presented unforeseen difficulties for the patient to achieve ambulation, which is not ordinarily observed in amputation rehabilitation cases. No similar cases have been reported in which patients concurrently suffered from both these conditions in Japan；therefore, this case is extremely rare.

Residual Limb Volume Change in the Early Post-operative Phase after Below-the-knee Amputation : A Report of Three Cases / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

<p>For lower limb amputees, good prosthetic fittings are important for wearing prostheses while ensuring gait stability, without skin breakdown. Poor prosthetic fittings tend to occur in the early stage after amputation because of significant changes in residual limb volume. We measured the extent of change in residual limb volume in three below-the-knee amputees by using computed tomography. The measurements were performed before and after inpatient rehabilitation for the first prosthesis. The measurement showed a remarkable change in residual limb volume in a highly active amputee without complications. In contrast, the change in residual limb volume was small in two less active below-the-knee amputees with serious complications, such as heart and renal failures. Generally, to maintain good prosthetic fittings, the first prostheses should be made during inpatient rehabilitation to facilitate maturation of the residual limbs. For the less active below-knee amputees, the prostheses could be made in the outpatient settings because the volume fluctuations of their residual limbs are small and the functional requirements for their daily living are modest.</p>

Predictors for Better Blood-Flow Restoration of Long-Segmental Below-the-Knee Chronic Total Occlusions after Endovascular Therapy in Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate predictors for good restoration of blood flow of below-the-knee (BTK) chronic total occlusions (CTOs) after endovascular therapy in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 long-segmental (≥ 5 cm) BTK, CTOs in 81 patients who underwent recanalization were included in this study. After angioplasty, blood-flow restoration was assessed using modified thrombolysis in myocardial ischemia grades and classified as good flow (grade 3) and poor flow (grade 1/2). One hundred and six CTOs with successful recanalization were divided into a good flow group (GFG; n = 68) and poor flow group (PFG; n = 38). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to determine independent predictors of blood-flow restoration. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine the best cutoff value. The prevalence of target-lesion restenosis during follow-up was compared between two groups. RESULTS: Univariate analyses suggested that CTOs in GFG were characterized by lighter limb ischemia (p = 0.03), shorter course of ischemic symptoms (p < 0.01) and lesion length (p = 0.04), more frequent use of intraluminal angioplasty (p = 0.03), and higher runoff score (p < 0.01) than those in PFG. Multivariate regression analyses suggested that distal runoffs (p = 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 10.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.082–26.071) and lesion length (p < 0.001; OR, 1.26; 95% CI: 1.091–1.449) were independent predictors for good flow restoration. Kaplan-Meier analyses at 12 months showed a higher prevalence of non-restenosis in GFG (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Distal runoffs and lesion length are independent predictors for good flow restoration for long-segmental BTK, CTOs in DM patients who receive endovascular therapy.

Retrograde endovascular angioplasty and conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty for the treatment of below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases：a comparative study / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of transdorsal-to-plantar (TDP) or transplantar-to-dorsal (TPD) retrograde endovascular angioplasty in treating below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases, and to compare it with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty. Methods A total of 96 patients with below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases (112 diseased lower extremities in total), who were admitted to authors’ hospital during the period from Oct. 2009 to July 2011 to receive conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty, were enrolled in this study. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 112 diseased lower extremities, conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty failed in 27, and TDP or TPD retrograde endovascular angioplasty had to be carried out. A total of 71 patients (85 diseased lower limbs) were successfully treated with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty (routine group), while 20 patients (22 diseased lower limbs) were successfully treated with retrograde endovascular angioplasty (retrograde group). The preoperative ankle-brachial index(ABI), the coronary angiography-based thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow score, the dorsal or plantar arterial pulse score, the postoperative limb salvage rate and target vessel patency rate were calculated, and the results were compared between the two groups. Results The technical success rate in the retrograde group and the routine group was 75.9% and 74.0%respectively (P>0.05). Preoperative ABI value of the retrograde group and the routine group was 0.55± 0.21 and 0.56±0.14 respectively, after the treatment which increased to 0.93±0.19 and 0.89±0.18 respectively (P>0.05). Preoperative TIMI score of the retrograde group and the routine group was 0.1 ±0.5 and 0.8 ±0.8 respectively, which significantly increased to 2.5±0.6 and 1.8±0.8 respectively (P0.05). Twenty-four months after endovascular angioplasty Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the limb salvage rate of the retrograde group and the routine group was 95.5%and 96.5%respectively (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty for the treatment of below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases, retrograde endovascular angioplasty via TDP or TPD path can immediately improve the blood flow with obvious improvement of ABI score, primary target vessel patency rate as well as the limb salvage rate. Therefore, retrograde endovascular angioplasty should be regarded as an effective supplementary technique when anterograde angioplasty fails.

Retrograde endovascular angioplasty and conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty for the treatment of below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases：a comparative study / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of transdorsal-to-plantar (TDP) or transplantar-to-dorsal (TPD) retrograde endovascular angioplasty in treating below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases, and to compare it with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty. Methods A total of 96 patients with below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases (112 diseased lower extremities in total), who were admitted to authors’ hospital during the period from Oct. 2009 to July 2011 to receive conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty, were enrolled in this study. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Among the 112 diseased lower extremities, conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty failed in 27, and TDP or TPD retrograde endovascular angioplasty had to be carried out. A total of 71 patients (85 diseased lower limbs) were successfully treated with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty (routine group), while 20 patients (22 diseased lower limbs) were successfully treated with retrograde endovascular angioplasty (retrograde group). The preoperative ankle-brachial index(ABI), the coronary angiography-based thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow score, the dorsal or plantar arterial pulse score, the postoperative limb salvage rate and target vessel patency rate were calculated, and the results were compared between the two groups. Results The technical success rate in the retrograde group and the routine group was 75.9% and 74.0%respectively (P>0.05). Preoperative ABI value of the retrograde group and the routine group was 0.55± 0.21 and 0.56±0.14 respectively, after the treatment which increased to 0.93±0.19 and 0.89±0.18 respectively (P>0.05). Preoperative TIMI score of the retrograde group and the routine group was 0.1 ±0.5 and 0.8 ±0.8 respectively, which significantly increased to 2.5±0.6 and 1.8±0.8 respectively (P0.05). Twenty-four months after endovascular angioplasty Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the limb salvage rate of the retrograde group and the routine group was 95.5%and 96.5%respectively (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with conventional anterograde endovascular angioplasty for the treatment of below-the-knee arterial occlusion diseases, retrograde endovascular angioplasty via TDP or TPD path can immediately improve the blood flow with obvious improvement of ABI score, primary target vessel patency rate as well as the limb salvage rate. Therefore, retrograde endovascular angioplasty should be regarded as an effective supplementary technique when anterograde angioplasty fails.

Drug-eluting Stent Implantation for a Below-the-knee Chronic Total Occlusion Lesion: A Case Report / 대한혈관외과학회지

For many years, surgical bypass has been considered mainstream therapy of below-the-knee peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The introduction of endovascular techniques and devices has made percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stenting feasible and safe in these patients. However, PTA has a significant risk of restenosis by elastic recoil and stenting is associated with restenosis by neointinal hyperplasia and vessel wall remodeling. With the advent of coronary artery drug eluting stent (DES), these limitations of PTA and stenting have been circumvented. Herein, we report a successful case of DES implantation for below-the-knee chronic total occlusion lesion. A 65-year-old male patient presented with severe claudication on his left leg. Computed tomography angiography showed long segment total occlusion involving the left distal superficial femoral, popliteal and proximal anterior tibial arteries. We tried to treat the lesion using endovascular surgery. During balloon angioplasty, flow limiting dissection developed in the proximal anterior tibial artery and we deployed a DES (Cypher, Cordis, Johnson & Johnson, USA) in that lesion. To our knowledge, this is the first report of DES for the treatment of below-the-knee chronic total occlusion lesion in Korea.

A Total Surface-bearing Prosthesis for a Below-the-knee Amputee due to Carcinoma arising from a Burn Scar / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

Severe burn injuries often result in significant long-term physical complications with scarring and contractures, but cancers associated with chronic burn scars are relatively rare. We report a case of a 58-year-old man with skin cancer arising from a healed burn scar. He initially suffered from an extensive fire burn on both lower limbs as a child. The burn scars extended from his upper thighs to his toes bilaterally and caused severe contractures which immobilized the ankles in plantar flexion. Two years ago, he noticed a small ulcerated lesion on the right heel and self-treated it with topical ointments. However, the ulcer increased in size and became malodorous. He presented to a clinic with a large, ulcerated, tumorous lesion, and histology proved it to be squamous cell carcinoma. He subsequently underwent a right below-the-knee amputation, and the previous scars presented on the stump. Thus the patient received a total surface bearing prosthesis with an Icelandic roll-on silicone socket system, which is ideal for patients with extensive scarring at the stump because it may reduce prosthesis-induced stump injuries by evenly distributing the patient's weight in the socket. After he left the hospital, he walked so far with the prosthesis every day that small ulcers often developed at the right popliteal fossa. However, he did not take care to treat these lesions properly, so we had to educate him on how to treat them. Patients such as these will often require education for self-management, family involvement and regular follow-up to monitor scar ulceration and watch out for any malignant transformation.

Sarmiento A (1970)A functional below-the-knee brace for tibial fractures. A Report on its use in one hundred thirty-five cases / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Results from the first 135 cases of tibial fractures treated with a functional below-the-knee-brace demonstrate uneventful healing while function of the knee and ankle is maintained. Rapid healing of the fracture in most patients suggests that the early resumption of nearly normal physiological conditions in the limb is favorable to timely and uninterrupted osteogenesis.

A Rotation / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Rotation-plasty provides useful knee function and permits use of what is essentially an end-weight-bearing below-the knee prosthesis. This principle of rotating the foot was first used by Borggreve in 1930(3), in a patient with a short femur secondary to infection. Since then, this procedure has been used in congenital short femurs(4,6,7,), malignant bone tumors of the distal femur(1,5)and compound fracture with wide bone defect around the knee(2) We have performed this procedure in a case of focal femoral deficiency with 14cm shorter than the opposite femur due to long standing persistant chronic osteomyelitis in the mid-shaft femur of a nine-year old Korean boy and gave the good result with a conventional but slightly modified below- the-knee brace. The inverted foot was good to control the brace as a below-knee stump and heel functioned as a patella to support the body weight.