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Biomedical subjects

L D Vos

Publications and source records attributed to L D Vos.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Mobility of people with lower limb amputations: scales and questionnaires: a review.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: A systematic literature review to compare mobility scales used for lower limb amputees. A literature search was carried out by computerized search of biomedical literature including Medline and Embase. The studies included were published between 1978 and 1998 and including the following keywords: amputation, artificial limbs, prosthesis, lower limb, activities of daily living, mobility. RESULTS: Thirty-five studies were identified; 19 had a measurement of separate levels of mobility comparable to each other. Sixteen studies used ordinal and ratio scales without separate levels of mobility. The widest range of measurement found was the scale from 'walking with prosthesis without a walking aid' to 'totally confined to bed'. The Stanmore Harold Wood mobility scale was published most frequently. None of the 35 studies presented give a continuous measurement of mobility. CONCLUSION: A multitude of measurement scales and questionnaires are available for differ in methods and measuring range. Measuring mobility by a scale has been shown to have limitations. Several authors did extensive research but they all measure only a number of aspects of mobility. Consensus about the measurement of mobility of lower limb amputees is not available in the recent literature.

Activities of Daily Living↗

A study of technical changes to lower limb prostheses after initial fitting.

There is little published material in recent years about the use of lower limb prostheses in an elderly amputee population. In this study the authors were interested in the technical changes to lower limb prostheses after a first limb fitting procedure in a post-rehabilitation population in The Netherlands. The process of fitting a prosthesis and the technical changes to the artificial limb in the first year afterwards are studied.

Aged↗

Epidemiology of lower limb amputees in the north of The Netherlands: aetiology, discharge destination and prosthetic use.

The aim of this study was to give a retrospective review of all lower limb amputations performed in the 3 northern provinces of the Netherlands in 1991-1992. Assembled data were compared with the existing information in the National Medical Register (NMR) over the same period. With the participation of all regional hospitals, 473 lower limb amputations from transpelvic to transmetatarsal level were identified. Of the amputations 94% were performed for vascular pathology, 3% for trauma, and 3% for oncologic reasons. After surgery a prosthesis was provided to 48% of the amputees. The actual number of performed amputations exceeds the number of amputations registered by the NMR by 9%. Incidence rates of lower limb amputations in the Netherlands are 18-20/100,000 over the last 12 years. These numbers are lower than in other areas and no sharp decrease in frequency compared with other countries in Western Europe.

Adolescent↗

Clinical rehabilitation of the amputee: a retrospective study.

The aim of this study was to determine the rehabilitation outcome of lower limb amputee patients after clinical rehabilitation. Altogether 183 amputee patients admitted for clinical rehabilitation in the years 1987-1991 were reviewed by retrospective analysis of medical record data. Three groups of amputee patients were identified by reason for amputation. The vascular group: (N = 132), mean age 67 years, mean admission time 119 days, 85% prosthetic fitting. The oncology group (N = 15), mean age 55 years, mean admission time 77 days, 60% prosthetic fitting. The traumatic amputee group: (N = 14), mean age 41 years, mean stay 134 days and 100% prosthetic fitting. Some 22 patients were bilateral amputees and were assessed separately. The most important reasons for not fitting a prosthesis were oncological metastases, stump and wound healing problems. After rehabilitation 86% of all patients could be discharged home. These results are more favourable than those seen in previous studies.

Adolescent↗

Congenital pelvic arteriovenous malformation: a rare cause of sciatica.

A patient with a large congenital pelvic arteriovenous malformation presenting with irradiating pain to the leg, most likely due to sciatic nerve compression, is described. Congenital pelvic arteriovenous malformation are rare lesions, especially in males. Diagnosis was established by arteriography and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan. Surgical resection of the AVM relieved our patient of all symptoms. However, endovascular therapy, either as primary treatment or followed by conventional surgery is the treatment of choice. Pelvic arteriovenous malformations should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unexplained sciatica.

Aortography↗

Functional outcome of rehabilitated bilateral lower limb amputees.

The functional outcome of rehabilitated bilateral lower limb amputees was studied. The study included 31 amputees who were admitted during 1980-1990 to a rehabilitation centre in the north of the Netherlands. The clinical notes made during the patients' admission were studied to obtain information about their characteristics, while mobility and prosthetic use were studied at discharge. The patients who were alive and willing to participate in the study were interviewed by a physician at their residence in November 1992, using among other things, the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Life Satisfaction questionnaire. Some 25 of the 31 patients were amputated for vascular reasons, 1 patient primarily for traumatic reasons and secondarily for vascular reasons, 5 patients for traumatic reasons. Eight patients had a bilateral trans-femoral amputation, 18 patients a bilateral trans-tibial amputation, 2 patients a combination of trans-tibial and knee-disarticulation amputation, 3 patients a trans-femoral/trans-tibial amputation. Mean age at second amputation was 66.3 years. Of the 31 amputees 21 were men and 10 women, 25 amputees were prosthetically rehabilitated during admission, 3 of them died during admission and 5 did not achieve mobility at discharge. In their activities of daily life 22 of the 28 patients alive at discharge were almost independent. At the time of the follow-up evaluation 17 of the 31 patients had died. For several reasons only 8 patients could be included in the follow-up, 6 vascular amputees and 2 traumatic amputees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living↗

Baló concentric sclerosis: MR diagnosis.

An antemortem MR diagnosis of concentric sclerosis was made. After corticosteroid therapy the patient's symptoms diminished, and repeat MR revealed a decrease in the size of the lesion.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

The relationship between comfortable and most metabolically efficient walking speed in persons with unilateral above-knee amputation.

Walking is most efficient when the least energy is spent over a certain distance. In six normal male subjects and 11 males with above-knee amputation the comfortable self-selected walking speeds and the most metabolically efficient walking speeds were determined. For that purpose energy expenditure was measured per second and per meter at six incremental walking speeds. Heart and step rate were registrated also at each walking speed. The results showed that in subjects who have not undergone amputation the comfortable walking speed is the same as the most efficient walking speed. However, in the above-knee amputee group, the comfortable walking speed is lower than the most efficient walking speed. When both groups walked at their own efficient walking speed they had the same energy expenditure per second.

Amputation, Surgical↗

The Günther temporary inferior vena cava filter for short-term protection against pulmonary embolism.

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinically the Günther temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. METHODS: Eleven IVC filters were placed in 10 patients. Indications for filter placement were surgical pulmonary embolectomy in seven patients, pulmonary embolism in two patients, and free-floating iliofemoral thrombus in one patient. Eight filters were inserted from the right femoral approach, three filters from the left. Follow-up was by plain abdominal radiographs, cavography, and duplex ultrasound (US). Eight patients received systemic heparinization. Follow-up, during 4-60 months after filter removal was by clinical assessment, and imaging of the lungs was performed when pulmonary embolism (PE) was suspected. Patients received anticoagulation therapy for at least 6 months. RESULTS: Ten filters were removed without complications 7-14 days (mean 10 days) after placement. One restless patient pulled the filter back into the common femoral vein, and a permanent filter was placed. In two patients a permanent filter was placed prior to removal. One patient developed sepsis, and one an infection at the insertion site. Clinically no recurrent PE developed with the filter in place or during removal. One patient had recurrent PE 7 months after filter removal. CONCLUSION: The Günther temporary IVC filter can be safely placed for short-term protection against PE. The use of this filter is not appropriate in agitated or immunocompromised patients.

Adult↗

Patterns of recurrent disease after recanalization of femoropopliteal artery occlusions.

PURPOSE: In this prospective study we investigated the site, occurrence, and development of stenoses and occlusions following recanalization of superficial femoral artery occlusions. METHODS: Recanalization of an occluded femoropopliteal artery was attempted in 62 patients. Follow-up examinations included clinical examination and color-flow duplex scanning at regular intervals. Arteriography was used to determine the localization of the recurrent disease relative to the initially occluded segment. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 23 months (range 0-69 months) 14 high-grade restenoses, indicated by a peak systolic velocity ratio >> 3.0, were detected by color-flow duplex scanning. Occlusion of the treated segment occurred in 11 patients. The cumulative 3-year primary patency rate for high-grade restenoses and occlusions combined was 44% (SE 9%). By arteriographic examination the site of restenosis was localized in the distal half of the treated vessel segment in 16 of 21 cases. CONCLUSION: Most restenoses and occlusions occurred during the first year and most disease developed at the previous intervention site. The site of restenosis is more frequently in the distal part of the initially treated segment, a finding that may have therapeutic implications.

Aged↗

Balloon angioplasty combined with primary stenting versus balloon angioplasty alone in femoropopliteal obstructions: A comparative randomized study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether balloon angioplasty combined with stenting (ST) of symptomatic femoropopliteal disease would provide better results compared with balloon angioplasty alone (BA). METHODS: Fifty-one patients were randomized between ST (24 patients) and BA (27 patients). Follow-up comprised clinical and hemodynamic assessment and color-flow duplex ultrasound examinations. RESULTS: Residual stenosis (> or = 30% diameter reduction) occurred in three BA patients, but not in the ST patients. By life-table analysis the cumulative rate of clinical and hemodynamic success after 1 year with ST was 74% (SE 9%) and for those with BA 85% (SE 7%) (p = 0.25). The primary patency at 1 year assessed by color-flow duplex ultrasound was 62% (SE 9%) for ST-treated patients and 74% (SE 8%) for BA patients (p = 0.22). Occlusion occurred in five ST patients (21%) compared with two BA patients (7%). CONCLUSION: ST does not improve clinical and hemodynamic outcome compared with BA. Moreover, the occlusion rate in ST-treated patients is higher.

Adult↗