Interdisciplinary Care Provided in a Rural Setting to Patient with Below-Knee Amputation

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Plastic Surgery

Background:

• Limb amputation, often a necessary procedure after severe injury, can lead to complications impacting rehabilitation.
• Below-knee amputation (BKA) presents unique challenges in restoring patient function and mobility.
• Effective management of amputees requires a multidisciplinary approach involving various healthcare professionals.

Observation:

• A 65-year-old male with a BKA presented with persistent distal tibia pain, initially misdiagnosed.
• Physical examination revealed tenderness at the distal residual fibula, unresponsive to prosthetic adjustments.
• Further evaluation identified a sharp distal fibula edge necessitating surgical revision.

Findings:

• The patient's persistent pain was attributed to a sharp edge on the distal fibula, a complication from the initial amputation surgery.
• Initial prosthetic modifications failed to resolve the symptoms, indicating a need for a deeper diagnostic approach.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration involving prosthetics, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), and plastic surgery was essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Implications:

• This case underscores the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in managing complex amputee cases, particularly in rural settings.
• Timely and accurate diagnosis through a coordinated team approach can prevent prolonged patient suffering and optimize rehabilitation.
• Highlighting the importance of specialized care, this report advocates for integrated healthcare models for amputee management.