Bent Knee Temporary Prosthesis to Support Early Ambulation after Transtibial Amputation: A Case Report.

Abstract

Postoperative immobility can exacerbate the physical and psychologic effects of limb loss. This case report presents a 37-year-old mother of two children who required a transtibial amputation. She received an early ambulation device called the bent knee temporary prosthesis (BKTP), which aids in early postoperative ambulation. Several early ambulation devices have been utilized in the past but have not found widespread favor. Although there is a paucity of research on this topic, available data suggest patient tolerance and benefit of early ambulation. A customizable, temporary below knee prosthesis such as the BKTP is valuable to study the safety and efficacy of early postoperative ambulation for improving outcomes for transtibial amputees.