Re: Looking for elbows
John Zeffer
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Looking for elbows
Creator:
John Zeffer
Date:
5/6/2003
Text:
Dear Matt and all,
I will support Peter's comment below regarding the effectiveness of upper limb prosthetics. This happens to be something I really like to do and personally have a hard time with acceptance on the part of our patients in Cambodia. We of course have best success with bilateral amputees. After losing an arm, a unilateral UE amputee quickly transforms into a one-armed person, especially with the timeframe that we have to deal with. Post-op fittings would be good and probably yield more successful results as I have read in some journals. But we don't have opportunity to see patients shortly after losing a limb and time has elapsed since the amputation.
Basically a unilateral amputee needs to fill out his or her shirt. Support on a motorbike is also a factor. But the acceptance of function has really been the result of bilateral amputees who can understand and learn how to pull up their own zipper, feed themselves, and write or draw. We had a bilateral transradial amputee who wanted only a cosmetic arm for one limb and I persuaded him to be my subject so I could teach our staff at Kompong Speu Rehabilitation Center. Upon being fitted with functional ICRC hooks, and after seeing he could hold a spoon and smoke a cigarette, he asked for a pen and paper. Showing he could write very well in Khmer (Cambodian), he stated that now he was going to go back to his village and teach children how to write in their native language. He had been a teacher before he lost his arms to a UXO. Otherwise I have seen acceptance on ICRC elbows when the ring is given in addition to the cosmetic hand. A ring will allow a farmer to use a hoe or other tool in working the fields. Functional attachments like this are often desired, such as a rice knife for harvesting the crops. (Or killing a spouse.) I can send photos of these if you like.
Best regards,
John Zeffer
American Red Cross-Cambodia Delegation
Kompong Speu Rehabilitation Center
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]On Behalf Of ICRCHOC
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 9:16 AM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
Dear Matt Ray and Matt Bracken,
Your efforts are outstanding and I would like you to comment on the
following:
We have the experience that it is hard for UL amputees, that have been for a
long time without a prosthesis, to use a cosmetic/mechanical hand. The
fitting of a hook seems (here in Vietnam) even less successful. We think it
is less of a problem with a non-mechanical/cosmetic hand. While for the UL
amputee a pure cosmetic prostheses might have its functionality, we wonder
about priorities in a country (Vietnam) where many TT amputees can't afford
a prostheses. (The above notions do not apply to bilateral UL amputees)
Since you will do a lot of UL in the near future in Haiti for amputees that
have not used a prosthesis since some time, it would be of interest to see
if they are using them effectively after fitting.
You could try to find out after about a year if the UL prostheses you have
fitted, have been put to use and why.
Such a follow-up will take extra time, but will certainly enhance the
results of your effort.
I would be very interested to hear the results of your fitting trips and
maybe later the findings of a follow-up.
Success and Regards
Peter Poetsma (P-O)
HCMC, Vietnam
----- Original Message -----
From: Matt Ray < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 6:17 AM
Subject: Re: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
> I wanted to thank everybody who replied to my message where I was looking
for elbows. There were several individuals who replied with used ones
and advice. I also want to thank Jackie Bradford with Hosmer Dorrance
Corporation, who was able to find several elbows and other components for
us. Thank you, Jackie, for your extra effort in helping these Haitians
who have gone without limbs for a combination of 15-20 years. I
appreciate this great community we participate with and hope there is some
way I can return the favor in the future.
>
> If any of you still have things you want to send, send them to the
following address if you can get them to this location before May 7th. Matt
Bracken is the prosthetist going to Haiti with the May 7th team.
>
> Matt Bracken
> 7026 South Commerce Park Drive, Suite 2
> Midvale, UT 84047
>
> After May 7th, please contact me concerning where to send any parts or
components, as we have different teams from all over the US and Canada going
at different times of the year.
>
> As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
> Behalf Of Matt Ray
> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 2:19 PM
> To: <Email Address Redacted>
> Subject: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
>
> All,
>
> I've put out emails in the past on this list looking for prosthetists
> who would be interested in joining one of our teams. Of course, I am
> always looking for any who would be interested in going with us,
> however, last week while I was in Haiti we met with 2 patients who need
> Above Elbow prostheses. I'm emailing today to see if anybody has any
> used/out of warranty/or other elbow components so I can fit these 2
> patients in Haiti without having to figure out how to come up with the
> $700 part for each one. Is there anybody out there who might have
> access to something like this?
>
> I look forward to your responses.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Matt
>
> Matt Ray
> Healing Hands for Haiti Foundation, Inc.
> 4212 Danube Court, Bakersfield CA 93308
> <URL Redacted>
> <Email Address Redacted>
> 661.588.4400 - phone
> 801.516.0168 - efax
>
>
I will support Peter's comment below regarding the effectiveness of upper limb prosthetics. This happens to be something I really like to do and personally have a hard time with acceptance on the part of our patients in Cambodia. We of course have best success with bilateral amputees. After losing an arm, a unilateral UE amputee quickly transforms into a one-armed person, especially with the timeframe that we have to deal with. Post-op fittings would be good and probably yield more successful results as I have read in some journals. But we don't have opportunity to see patients shortly after losing a limb and time has elapsed since the amputation.
Basically a unilateral amputee needs to fill out his or her shirt. Support on a motorbike is also a factor. But the acceptance of function has really been the result of bilateral amputees who can understand and learn how to pull up their own zipper, feed themselves, and write or draw. We had a bilateral transradial amputee who wanted only a cosmetic arm for one limb and I persuaded him to be my subject so I could teach our staff at Kompong Speu Rehabilitation Center. Upon being fitted with functional ICRC hooks, and after seeing he could hold a spoon and smoke a cigarette, he asked for a pen and paper. Showing he could write very well in Khmer (Cambodian), he stated that now he was going to go back to his village and teach children how to write in their native language. He had been a teacher before he lost his arms to a UXO. Otherwise I have seen acceptance on ICRC elbows when the ring is given in addition to the cosmetic hand. A ring will allow a farmer to use a hoe or other tool in working the fields. Functional attachments like this are often desired, such as a rice knife for harvesting the crops. (Or killing a spouse.) I can send photos of these if you like.
Best regards,
John Zeffer
American Red Cross-Cambodia Delegation
Kompong Speu Rehabilitation Center
Phnom Penh
Kingdom of Cambodia
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]On Behalf Of ICRCHOC
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2003 9:16 AM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
Dear Matt Ray and Matt Bracken,
Your efforts are outstanding and I would like you to comment on the
following:
We have the experience that it is hard for UL amputees, that have been for a
long time without a prosthesis, to use a cosmetic/mechanical hand. The
fitting of a hook seems (here in Vietnam) even less successful. We think it
is less of a problem with a non-mechanical/cosmetic hand. While for the UL
amputee a pure cosmetic prostheses might have its functionality, we wonder
about priorities in a country (Vietnam) where many TT amputees can't afford
a prostheses. (The above notions do not apply to bilateral UL amputees)
Since you will do a lot of UL in the near future in Haiti for amputees that
have not used a prosthesis since some time, it would be of interest to see
if they are using them effectively after fitting.
You could try to find out after about a year if the UL prostheses you have
fitted, have been put to use and why.
Such a follow-up will take extra time, but will certainly enhance the
results of your effort.
I would be very interested to hear the results of your fitting trips and
maybe later the findings of a follow-up.
Success and Regards
Peter Poetsma (P-O)
HCMC, Vietnam
----- Original Message -----
From: Matt Ray < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 6:17 AM
Subject: Re: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
> I wanted to thank everybody who replied to my message where I was looking
for elbows. There were several individuals who replied with used ones
and advice. I also want to thank Jackie Bradford with Hosmer Dorrance
Corporation, who was able to find several elbows and other components for
us. Thank you, Jackie, for your extra effort in helping these Haitians
who have gone without limbs for a combination of 15-20 years. I
appreciate this great community we participate with and hope there is some
way I can return the favor in the future.
>
> If any of you still have things you want to send, send them to the
following address if you can get them to this location before May 7th. Matt
Bracken is the prosthetist going to Haiti with the May 7th team.
>
> Matt Bracken
> 7026 South Commerce Park Drive, Suite 2
> Midvale, UT 84047
>
> After May 7th, please contact me concerning where to send any parts or
components, as we have different teams from all over the US and Canada going
at different times of the year.
>
> As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
> Behalf Of Matt Ray
> Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 2:19 PM
> To: <Email Address Redacted>
> Subject: [OANDP-L] Looking for elbows
>
> All,
>
> I've put out emails in the past on this list looking for prosthetists
> who would be interested in joining one of our teams. Of course, I am
> always looking for any who would be interested in going with us,
> however, last week while I was in Haiti we met with 2 patients who need
> Above Elbow prostheses. I'm emailing today to see if anybody has any
> used/out of warranty/or other elbow components so I can fit these 2
> patients in Haiti without having to figure out how to come up with the
> $700 part for each one. Is there anybody out there who might have
> access to something like this?
>
> I look forward to your responses.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Matt
>
> Matt Ray
> Healing Hands for Haiti Foundation, Inc.
> 4212 Danube Court, Bakersfield CA 93308
> <URL Redacted>
> <Email Address Redacted>
> 661.588.4400 - phone
> 801.516.0168 - efax
>
>
Citation
John Zeffer, “Re: Looking for elbows,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 4, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/221133.
