Valoración del daño estético en las amputaciones

Abstract

Introduction and objectives Aesthetic damage evaluation is a complex work developed by experts in physical damage assessment and for this reason it is essential to have methods to perform this in a simple, scientific and homogeneous way. A proposal is made to ascribe, between minimum and maximum limits, a value to the different kinds of aesthetic damage as regards limb amputations. Method A search was made of the literature since 1982 in several data bases. Several methods have been considered and we have particularly chosen to follow (besides the classification and rules of the current scale on traffic accident injuries), the method developed by Cobo and Aso, assessing its five items and the stratification of severe aesthetic damage. Results Proposal of grades for amputations to assess the aesthetic damage at different levels of legs and arms, following several methods and visibility of amputations. Also to assess aesthetic impairment of amputations of more than one limb. Conclusions a) Greater aesthetic damage of amputations of arms than in legs; b) Aesthetic damage of the second, third and fourth finger loss has been graded greater than thumb loss; c) The difference concerning the location of the amputated region, its extension, and feeling of rejection, and emotional changes that may cause, are the criteria taken into consideration for the assessment; d) Usefulness of Cobo's severe aesthetic damage classification.