Patterns of use of a myoelectric prosthesis in a cohort of children with transverse defects below the level of the elbow.

Abstract

Myoelectric prostheses have become the accepted standard of care for pediatric upper-limb amputees. To describe the clinical characteristics and patterns of prosthesis use and to analyze the changes that occur during the growth process of these patients. This is a longitudinal retrospective study comparing the results of surveys carried out in 2015 and 2022. The variables measured included clinical and demographic characteristics, patterns of use, and satisfaction with the prosthesis. Twenty-one patients with transverse defects were fitted with myoelectric prostheses. With increasing age, there was a statistically nonsignificant decrease in the duration of use and a decrease in the number of patients using the prosthesis for activities of daily living from 13 to 10 ( p = 0.045), with a 28% dropout rate, higher in patients with more distal defects. Since 2015, we have observed a decrease in the number of hours of prosthesis use, while maintaining a high percentage of patients using the prosthesis.