Orthopedic-Prosthetic Idea Exchange
Everett J. Gordon, M.D. *
Contributing Committee:
Everett J. Gordon, M.D.,
Chairman
; Joseph Ardizzone, P.T.; Raymond Beales, C.P.; Edwin M. Brown, Prosthetic Representative; Victor L. Caron, C.P.; Charles Ross, C.O.&P.
To all of you who responded to graciously to our initial column, our sincere thanks. We need your comments, not only from the physicians, but from the technicians, therapists, and administrators too. You must have a pet theory or ingenious idea that someone else could adopt-please pass it on!
Several clinics are reporting increased use of the SACH foot, especially with BK prostheses. Some veterans find it successfully replaces the 4-way ankle joint with diminished maintenance. Apparently its use is spreading to Symes amputations, Suction socket AK prostheses, etc. Are you using SACH feet? Write us about it!
Dr. Phillip Moore, of Mt. Edgecumbe, Alaska, informs us of some interesting problems peculiar to his frigid area, such as prostheses fitted over Shoe-Pacs and special Arctic footwear. Incidentally, they need good technicians up there. Anyone interested should contact Dr. Moore for a very interesting and profitable career.
Our correspondent, in Hawaii, Dr. Ivar Larson, demonstrated several unusual juvenile amputees at the Pan-Pacific Congress recently held in Honolulu. One child with very short "flipper" type of upper extremities was able to successfully manipulate the elbow lock and terminal device by his stubby fingers. Maintenance and perspiration are two important problems that arise from the constantly warm climate.
One of the features of the Pan-Pacific meeting was an amputation Symposium organized by Dr. Miles Anderson and his UCLA staff. Your editor was privileged to participate by presenting the clinic concept in solving amputation problems. All attending surgeons received copies of new UCLA publications, entitled: "Manual of Above-Knee Prosthetics," and "Arm Amputee Check-Out and Training." They are excellent treatises and the chapter on gait is a dandy-better get a copy if you have not already.
From Baltimore, we learn of PROTEKO-SORB, a pre-packaged silica-gel preparation in assorted sizes, in fiber bags. They appear to be useful and we plan to give them a trial in our perspiration problems. One of our prosthetists is trying to adopt a knee seal which will also firmly hold these bags while in use within the socket.
Wish we had more to tell you, but some of you folks just aren't talking. Let us in on your pet situations, and let us share your problems. Maybe someone else has just the answer you need! We want to hear from the prosthetists too-this column belongs to all of you-you-all!
Everett J. Gordon, M.D.
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