How do diabetic amputees choose artificial limbs?

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases. With the improvement of people's living standards, the aging of the population and the increasing incidence of obesity, the incidence of diabetes is increasing year by year. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, which is caused by insulin secretion deficiency or damage to its biological function, or both. Diabetic patients have high blood sugar for a long time, which can easily lead to problems in various tissues, especially chronic damage and dysfunction of eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels and nerves.

Why does diabetes cause amputation?

Metabolic disorder of glucose, fat and protein in diabetic patients leads to vascular diseases and changes of blood circulation at extremities. Meanwhile, high blood sugar in diabetic patients will lead to poor wound repair ability. Once skin is damaged, infection, ulcer and pus are easy to occur, and amputation is needed in severe cases. In addition, fracture or soft tissue damage is caused by accidents in diabetic patients, and amputation is needed in severe cases.

What should diabetic patients pay attention to when choosing artificial limbs after amputation?

Many amputees don't know how to choose artificial limbs, especially diabetic patients. The main function of artificial limbs as auxiliary equipment is to replace some functions of lost limbs, so that amputees can recover certain self-care and working ability. Of course, no matter what the reason is, they all hope to install suitable artificial limbs to guarantee or improve their quality of life.

If diabetic patients have mild symptoms when amputating limbs, they can check according to their own conditions, and then determine the type of prosthesis to be assembled. Generally, full contact is used, because this prosthetic socket helps the blood circulation at the end of the residual limb.

If amputees are caused by diabetic foot, most of these patients are accompanied by lower limb neuropathy and vascular diseases, especially vascular diseases, which are easy to cause obstacles in lower limb blood circulation and insufficient blood supply. After amputation rehabilitation, if the vascular diseases of lower limbs are not alleviated, the lower limb blood circulation will have problems, which may lead to further necrosis and seriously endanger life safety. Diabetic foot will not heal easily. Therefore, diabetic patients must pay attention to the comfort of prosthetic limbs, and do not let the residual limbs suffer secondary injuries. For patients with amputation caused by diabetic foot, it is recommended to use gel sleeve or silicone sleeve to protect the residual limbs. Of course, it is more important to choose the prosthetic limbs suitable for patients according to their conditions.

SHIJIAZHUANG AOSUO  O&P