Ambulation on Postoperative Day 1 after Bilateral Transtibial Amputations: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

In Brief Few patients experiencing traumatic injuries require bilateral transtibial amputations, limiting data outlining the best rehabilitation process. Severe trauma to the lower extremities after motor vehicle crashes that require amputation tend to occur to young, healthy individuals. Patients with chronic vascular and diabetic complications account for 80% of the lower extremity amputations performed in the United States. The authors report a patient who was standing in his temporary prosthesis the day after bilateral amputations and was fitted with permanent prosthesis 8 weeks later, about 6 months sooner than has been described. This accelerated rehabilitation greatly reduced the overall cost of the patient’s care and returned him to full function much faster. This case report highlights the utility of accelerated rehabilitation with rigid postoperative dressings in the treatment of a young traumatic bilateral amputee to minimize the time to weightbearing and walking, and the fitting of the preparatory prostheses. Severe trauma to the lower extremities after motor vehicle crashes that require amputation tend to occur to young, healthy individuals. The authors report a patient who was standing in his temporary prostheses the day after bilateral amputations and was fitted with permanent prostheses 8 weeks later, about 6 months sooner than has been described. This accelerated rehabilitation greatly reduced the overall cost of the patient’s care and returned him to full function much faster.