Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Ruffing.
An examination programme for assessing the functional capacities of the upper extremities with special regard to manual skills is presented. Experience involving 200 clients are reported on, permitting to assume the programme's usefulness in assessing functional disorders in the hand.
The results of an X-ray investigation of 480 patients suffering from thalidomide embryopathy demonstrate that, beside dysmelia, spinal alterations are an important factor in malformations of the postural and locomotion apparatus. The pattern of malformations consists-according to the frequency of accumulated incidences - of spondylolysis, scoliosis, malformations of the intervertebral disc and dysgenesia of the sacrum. As in the case of extremities this pattern of malformations can only be established by radiological morphology. It necessarily entails alterations of varying functional value. There is no doubt that spinal alterations influence the fate of affected patients in the future.
The operations to replace the thumb have been proved in thalidomide embryopathy both functionally and cosmetically. The best results are achieved in the pollicisation of dolichophalangeal triphalangeal thumbs. Simultaneously existing radial club hand impairs the operative results considerably.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
All children suffering from thalidomide embryopathy should undergo a careful clinical and radiographic follow-up examination. This frequently detects hidden defects, especially of the spine and hip joints. It is clear that defects are frequently present, though unsuspected by the clinical examination. A special problem which needs further investigation is the alteration of the knee joints, which has also often been overlooked; Early osteoarthritis is expected to occur in the future. There is an urgent need for additional study of the general functional capacity and also the manual efficiency of the children under consideration for their occupational integration. We shall be engaged with this problem in future studies.
In our follow-up examination of about 500 children suffering from thalidomide embryopathy we have studied the results of conservative and operative treatment of club hand. The results of treatment have not corresponded to the prognosis with regard to function. In our opinion the possibility of operative treatment should not be considered until growth of the ulna ceases.
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