Prosthetics and rehabilitation in lower limb amputees

Authors: Jacobus Herculus Du Plessis1,2, Mihai Berteanu1,3

 

Affiliation

1“Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest Romania

2S.C. Theranova Protezare S.R.L., Oradea

3Medical Rehabilitation Department of the Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania

 

Abstract 

Background. It is considered relevant to contextualize the health care process to amputated people since the hospitalization until the acquisition of the prosthesis to adapt to the new living condition and determine the bioethical aspects involved in this process. In that sense, the research question in this study was: how did health care to people submitted to limb amputation take place from the perspective of bioethical analysis? And the study objectives were: to analyze the care delivered by health professionals throughout the amputation process from the perspective of the amputees and discuss the health care process for amputated people from the perspective of bioethical analysis.

Aims. The overall objective of the standards and guidelines is to establish a basis for the provision of a service of excellence to the amputee population with equity of access throughout the Romania. It also aims to assist clinical governance and service development with standards presented in a format easily accessible for audit purposes.

Methods. A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study was conducted through semi-structured questionnaires with 175 people undergoing amputation in the period 2008-2020, in SC. Theranova Protezare SRL in Romania. The objectives were to analyze the care provided by health professionals throughout the amputation process in the perspective of the amputee patient; and discuss the process of health care to the person with amputation in the bioethical analysis perspective. Data were analyzed according to content analysis. Three thematic categories emerged: the process of amputation; team performance and rehabilitation. Bioethics permits reflection on the care provided to amputees and problematizes the relationship of the health care process with support available through public health policies. The professional involved in this process has to take responsibility for putting the process in practice and interdisciplinary is essential for the recovery of the amputated patient.

Results. It was verified that the causes leading to amputation can be triggered by a chronic illness as well as by trauma, the latter determined by external causes. Despite different motives for the amputation, however, the care process is the same. In other words, based on the statements, it can be inferred that, despite the stakeholders’ different ages and needs, both end up in the same health care context: slow and fragmented.

Conclusions. In addition, in the interval of almost twelve years since they were submitted to the respective amputation, a precarious situation of physical, social and economic independence was evidenced. In short, these qualitative research results do not permit generalizations but questions: is these people’s right to socio-professional integration being guaranteed? The question is: the amputated people and/or the health team’s lack of knowledge, or the disorganization of the health care process?

 

Key words: amputation, health professionals, bioethics, assistance to health, public health policy

12-plessis192-198

Prosthetics and rehabilitation in lower limb amputees

https://doi.org/10.26659/10.26659/pm3.2020.21.3.192