Upper-Limb Prosthetic Maintenance Data: A Retrospective Analysis Study

Abstract

IntroductionUnderstanding repair patterns of upper-limb (UL) prosthetic devices have received little attention compared with their lower-limb counterparts. This study focuses on a retrospective analysis of anonymized UL prosthetic maintenance data to establish if there were any patterns of repairs at a regional prosthetic limb-fitting center in the United Kingdom. A secondary aim of this study is to describe the patient demographics of this center.MethodsData containing prosthetic repair log and demographic description (n = 212) were acquired through our clinical partners and subjected to statistical analyses.ResultsOn average, each client visited the center 0.2 times/year for a new device and 0.9 times/year for maintenance-related activities. It is found that the repair rates are generally higher for body-powered devices (1.28 visits/device per year) compared with passive (0.94 visits/device per year) and externally powered devices (0.90 visits/device per year). In keeping with the typical UK UL-deficient population, there is a high male-to-female ratio, and higher instances of traumatic amputations were noticed for males at the center. There is a very high preponderance of congenital cases and an overall emphasis on prescribing passive devices to a majority of patients at the center.ConclusionsThe data from our study are similar to previously published data from other centers and show a consistent pattern in terms of relative rates of maintenance attendances for different types of UL prostheses.Clinical RelevanceThis study provides a longitudinal perspective and insights on ever-changing requirements (prostheses and related care) of the users at the level of a regional limb-fitting center. This study underscores current gaps in prosthetic device durability/reliability and opens up avenues for improvement of prosthetic services and devices.

A Novel Respiratory Control and Actuation System for Upper-Limb Prosthesis Users: Clinical Evaluation Study

“…We found an almost equal number of above-elbow and below-elbow cases, although the below-elbow level is the most common for adults and children (e.g., [18], [64]). Among those with congenital UL absence, a high female-to-male ratio and left-side bias are observable, similar to earlier studies [11], [64], [66]. As found in our study, change of dominance [67] is typical in acquired cases who lose their dominant side.…”

“…Furthermore, they usually require extensive fitting procedures from a high-skilled professional [10]. Unfortunately, current BP prostheses are also associated with higher device repair and maintenance rates than other device types [11], [12]. In addition, they often consist of cables and harnesses that many children and female users find uncomfortable or cumbersome [13], [14].…”

Reimagining Prosthetic Control: A Novel Body-Powered Prosthetic System for Simultaneous Control and Actuation

“…Traditional BP devices rely on a harness system for their control that results in a restrictive operational workspace [26]. Unfortunately, current BP prostheses are also associated with higher rates of device repair and maintenance compared to other device types [27][28][29]. In addition, they often include cables and harnesses [30] that many children and female users find uncomfortable or cumbersome [31][32][33].…”