[Bilateral amputation in diabetic patient with blindness, the use of inadequate prosthesis. Case report]

The most frequent diabetes-related complications are diabetic foot and glaucoma, which lead to amputation and loss of vision, respectively. Current scientific and technologic developments have permitted the design and implementation of prosthetic systems that are optimal for these patients, as the latter adapt themselves to them and can resume activities of daily living. The lack of economic resources compromises the quality of the prostheses patients can afford, as they resort to «artisanal» or «rustic» systems that hamper their adaptation process. We present herein the case of a 47 year-old female patient, housewife, with bilateral paresthesias and phantom limb sensation associated with amputation neuromas resulting from type II diabetes mellitus that had affected the patient for eight years. This patient of a low socioeconomic stratum underwent a post-amputation assessment and was diagnosed as being heavily dependent when performing activities of daily living and required assisted wheelchair for ambulation. This is a frequent variant resulting from bilateral loss of lower limbs together with complete loss of vision. We describe the rehabilitation therapy during the pre- and post-prosthetic stages, together with the results of the assessments to show the effectiveness of the treatment process, without forgetting the participation of the caregiver as a fundamental co-therapeutic element in this process.