THE IMPACT OF COMBINED MENISCUS TEAR ON QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION.

INTRODUCTION: An anterior cruciate ligament injury represents a significant epidemiological problem worldwide, especially due to involving young, sporty and active working-age population. This study has been conducted in order to compare the quality of life of patients who had isolated anterior cruciate ligament tear and of those who suffered from anassociated meniscal injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 185 patients who had undergone reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology in Novi Sad from January lst, 2012 to December 31st 2012. The patients vere divided into 2 groups: group AZ consisted of patients who had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction only, and group B consisted of patients who had partial meniscectomy in addition to the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The follow-up period was 12 months. RESULTS: Distribution of patients by gendei was significantly in favor of men. In our study, 146 patients ~vere male and 39 patients ~vere female. The average age of patients was 26.1 years overall (16-55 years), being 26.9 years tbr men, and 23.3 years for female patients. Out of 185 patients, 110 had an isolated anterior cruciate ligament injury, while 75 suffered both meniscus, internal or external, and anterior cruciate ligament injury. CONCLUSION: The comparison of the quality of life of patients in both groups showed no statistically significant difference. Therefore, we were not able to prove the hypothesis about the superior quality of life of those patients who had suffered from a runnired anterior cruciate linament only.

ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS AFTER LOWER LIMB AMPUTATION.

INTRODUCTION: Lower extremity amputation is a surgical procedure resulting in important anatomical, functional, psychological, and social consequences that can influence the quality of life of these patients. The aim of this research was to compare the quality of life of patients with lower extremity amputation and people without amputation taking into account gender differences as well as the amputation level. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was designed as a cross-sectional study which included 56 subjects. The patients from the experimental group underwent prosthetic rehabilitation treatment at the Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina. The experimental group included 28 patients (21 male, 7 female) with lower extremity amputation, their average age being 65.36±13.64. The control group consisted of 28 age and gender matching subjects without amputation. Research ANd Development (RAND) 36--Item Health Survey 1.0 (SF-36) was used to measure the quality of life. RESULTS: The results showed that patients with lower extremity amputation scored lower than the control group on all SF-36 variables (p<0.05). None of the SF-36 variables differed between the genders (p>0.05). Seventeen (61%) patients were with transfemoral, and 11 (39%) with transtibial level of amputation. The patients with transtibial amputations scored higher on physical functioning and general health status variables (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The patients with lower extremity amputations have numerous limitations compared to the control group, regardless of gender, while the patients with lower level of amputation have a higher level of physical functioning.