Since amputations of the fingers are the most common amputation of the upper limb, one possibility for rehabilitation after an amputation is fitting the patient with a silicone finger prosthesis, according to an article published online January 11 in the journal of Disability and Rehabilitation.
Researchers at the University Rehabilitation Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia, included 42 patients with partial or complete single or multiple finger amputation of one hand who visited the Institute’s outpatient clinic for prosthetics and orthotics and received a silicone prosthesis. Sixty-seven percent of the patients had an amputation of a single finger. Researchers assessed the participants’ adjustment to amputation and prosthesis use with the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales (TAPES), the article reported.
The average scores on all TAPES subscales, except adjustment to limitation, were above 50 percent of the maximum possible score. On average, the scores were the highest on the general adjustment and satisfaction with the prosthesis subscales.
The study’s authors concluded that silicone prostheses for a finger amputation appear to play an important role in adapting to amputation in that they offer aesthetically satisfying results and alleviate social interactions, which influences overall quality of life.