Rehabilitation for Ambulation of Triple Amputee: A case report

ABSTRACT

Triple amputee is an uncommon impairment and has been rarely reported. We reported a case of success in independent bipedal ambulation of a triple amputee with bilateral lower limb prostheses. We selected a thirty five-year-old male who underwent a left shoulder disarticulation and a left very short transfemoral amputation and a right transfemoral amputation due to trauma. After program of gait training for eight weeks, he could walk independently, donning right hip disarticulation prosthesis and left transfemoral prosthesis and left shoulder disarticulation prosthesis with right Lofstrand forearm orthosis. We measured the amountof oxygen consumption of the patient before and after rehabilitation program done, of which all parameters including oxygen consumption were more improved than before that program. The patient preferred to walk by himself and got a feeling of full achievement. Nevertheless higher energy consumption, young active triple amputees need fitting prostheses with intensive rehabilitation training program for bipedal ambulation to prevent deterioration of physical function and mental health due to immobilization.