Article

Care of veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss from combat
theaters is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Veteran Affairs.
We achieved a 62% response rate in our Survey for Prosthetic Use from 298 Vietnam
war veterans and 283 servicemembers/veterans from Operation Iraqi
Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) who sustained major traumatic limb
loss. Participants reported their combat injuries; health status; quality of
life; and prosthetic device use, function, rejection, and satisfaction. Despite
the serious injuries experienced, health status was rated excellent, very good,
or good by 70.7% of Vietnam war and 85.5% of OIF/OEF survey participants.
However, many health issues persist for Vietnam war and OIF/OEF survey
participants (respectively): phantom limb pain (72.2%/76.0%), chronic back pain
(36.2%/42.1%), residual-limb pain (48.3%/62.9%), prosthesis-related skin problems
(51.0%/58.0%), hearing loss (47.0%/47.0%), traumatic brain injury (3.4%/33.9%),
depression (24.5%/24.0%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (37.6%/58.7%).
Prosthetic devices are currently used by 78.2% of Vietnam war and 90.5% of
OIF/OEF survey participants to improve function and mobility. On average, the
annual rate for prosthetic device receipt is 10.7-fold higher for OIF/OEF than
for Vietnam war survey participants. Findings from this cross-conflict survey
identify many strengths in prosthetic rehabilitation for those with limb loss and
several areas for future attention.

Langue : ANGLAIS