Quality of life and functionality after lower limb amputations (original) (raw)

Background: It is difficult for the lower limb amputee patients to adapt to their new lifestyles. Objective: To compare the life quality and functionality of patients with bilateral vs. unilateral lower extremity amputations. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifteen bilateral and 15 unilateral lower extremity amputee patients were enrolled. Demographics, cause and level of amputations, frequency and duration of prosthesis use were evaluated. SF-36, Satisfaction with Prosthesis Questionnaire (SAT-PRO), Amputee Body Image Scale. (ABIS), Houghton Scale (HS), six-minute walk test (6MWT), and 10-metre walk test (10 MWT) were performed. Results: Physical function, physical and emotional role scores of SF-36 were significantly lower in the bilateral amputee group in comparison with the unilateral group. SAT-PRO and ABIS total scores were similar between the groups. There was a positive correlation between the frequency of prosthetic use and SF-36 subgroups (except pain). The u...