Functional Outcome Measurements of a Veteran With a Hip Disarticulation Using a Helix 3D Hip Joint: A Case Report

Abstract

In Brief There are no previously published studies measuring functional outcomes with the Helix 3D hip joint prosthesis for an individual with a hip disarticulation amputation. The veteran is a 30-year-old male with a traumatic hip disarticulation amputation. The timed up and go and the 2-minute walk tests were performed at the time of delivery of the permanent Helix 3D hip joint prosthesis, again at 8 weeks, and at 15 weeks. Both tests were also performed at 15 weeks with the veteran using an Otto Bock 7E7 single-axis hip joint prosthesis. The veteran showed consistent improvement with the Helix 3D hip joint in timed up and go times from initial fitting (mean 23.4 seconds) to 8 weeks (mean 17.9 seconds) and to 15 weeks (mean 15.1 seconds). The veteran had similar 2-minute walk distances at all trials, resulting in an overall average walking speed of 1.06 m/second. At week 15, by using the 7E7 hip prosthesis, the veteran ambulated at 0.56 m/second. Using the Helix Hip 3D, the outcome measures used in this study suggest that the veteran will be independent in activities of daily living, successful with community ambulation, and is at low risk of future hospitalization. The veteran with a hip disarticulation in this case report showed improvement in Timed Up and Go (TUG) times using the Helix 3D Hip, C-Leg, and Trias Foot prosthesis over the three-month course of physical therapy and prosthetic care. When using the Helix 3D hip prosthesis, the veteran ambulated at a speed that has been determined to indicate independence in ADLs, successful community ambulation, and a decrease in the chance of hospitalization. As shown by the functional outcome measures, the veteran did not achieve the same level of functional independence with the trial of the single axis 7E7 hip joint.