Life After Total Hip Replacement: A Qualitative Study on Patient Experiences.

The present study aimed to determine the life experiences of patients undergoing total hip replacement. This study was a qualitative study conducted using the content analysis method. Using purposive sampling, 10 patients with total hip replacement were selected and interviewed. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the content analysis method. The mean age of the 10 patients was 59.33 ± 9.9 years. Six patients were female and four were male. Of these 10 participants, eight were married and had nuclear families; all participants were literate, and seven belonged to the middle-income group. Four main themes and 10 subthemes were identified. The themes included a painful process (severe pain and feeling of pain due to emotional exhaustion), fear (fear of feeling pain, fear of moving, and fear of recurrence), difficulty (self-care, sleep, and participation in social life), and positive thinking about life (feeling good and hope). The participants expressed mostly negative life experiences while also pointing out the positive life experiences. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the views of patients with total hip replacement on life experiences. These results can be used in planning and implementing health services for patients with total hip replacement.

Narrative Experiences of Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation: A Qualitative Study.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the narrative experiences of individuals undergoing lower limb amputation. Method: This study was a qualitative study conducted using the phenomenological pattern. Using purposive sampling, 13 individuals with lower limb amputation were selected and interviewed. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the content analysis method. Results: The mean age of the 13 individuals was 51.17 ± 8.7 years. Five of the individuals were female and eight of them were male. A main theme and four sub-themes were identified. This main theme together with sub-themes were Dead End (Process of Loss, Negative Feelings, Change, Adapting to New Life). The individuals expressed mostly negative feelings and thoughts while also emphasizing the rehabilitation process (positive sides). Conclusions: Individuals with lower limb amputations stated there were positive factors affecting the rehabilitation process while emphasizing negative thoughts and feelings during the amputation process. These results can be used in planning for training, counseling and therapeutic interviews to protect the psychosocial health of individuals with lower limb amputation.

Treatment of Relapsed and Neglected Pes Equinovarus with Binary Arthrodesis and Hexapodal Spider Frame.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and radiological outcomes of patients with recurrent or neglected pes equinovarus (PEV), who underwent talonavicular or calcaneocuboid arthrodesis with a hexapod spider frame. METHODS: The study included 18 patients; a total of 25 feet were treated with dual arthrodesis and a hexapod spider frame. The International Club Foot Study Group (ICFSG) scoring system and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess preoperative status and postoperative outcomes. All functional, morphological and radiologic evaluations during the follow-up were done as described by Kling et al. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for an average of 24.1 ± 11.8 months. The mean age of our cohort was 8.84 ± 2.83 years. The mean duration of correction was 3 weeks and the mean duration treatment length was 15.3 ± 1.9 weeks. Postoperative assessment revealed eight excellent, 13 good, and four poor outcomes, according to the ICFSG scoring system. There was a significant difference between preoperative and postoperative ICFSG scores, 12 feet showed an excellent outcome, 12 feet had good outcomes, and one foot was rated as a failure in the final assessment, based on the Kling criteria. There was also a significant difference between preoperative and postoperative VAS scores. CONCLUSION: Dual arthrodesis plus a hexapod spider frame is a valuable option for patients with recurrent or neglected PEV. It can be offered safely to avoid secondary recurrences and potential complications in cases of rigid feet as well as challenging cases that are resistant to soft tissue manipulation.