Successful rehabilitation after hip fracture to a patient with previous above-elbow amputation.

Abstract

We experienced successful rehabilitation of an elderly man after hip fracture (HF) who had had ipsilateral above-elbow amputation. He was a wounded soldier whose right arm had been amputated more than 60 yrs ago, and he had never used a prosthesis. He had been admitted to our hospital because of exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During his admission, he had a fall-related hip fracture. We devised a special upper-limb prosthesis so that he could hold an ipsilateral crutch to enable appropriate acute-phase rehabilitation for HF. As a result, effects of disuse were prevented and he gained improvement of lower-limb function. The specialized upper-limb prosthesis also reduced his anxiety regarding walking. It can be considered that the prosthesis contributed to his quality of life with regard to activities of daily living after discharge.