Post Surgery

Dressings

Often the residual limb will beput in a plaster cast right after surgery while you are still under anesthesia. The cast or rigid dressing is used to reduce swelling, to protect the leg, to prevent shortening of the hamstring muscles and to keep foreign bodies away from the incision. This cast is changed every 7-10 days for 2-3 weeks. Sometimes a pylon and foot will be attached to cast. this is called an immedicate post opeerativeprosthesis (IPOP). This alows a person to begin partial weight bearing before complete tissue healing has occurred. An IPOP is generally used on someone without disease as the cause of an amputation or when someone needs assistance in transferring.

Somtimes the leg will be put in a specially designed brace called a remoable rigid dressing (RRD). Usually the RRD is worn until you are fit with a prosthesis. The purpose of this dressing is similar to the ridig dressing: to limit swelling, to protect your leg from bumps and infection and to eep the leg straight. It difers however from the rigid dressing in that it is removableto allow for dressing changes, frequent inspection of the limb and for exercising.

Another option for post-surgical care is to use only soft dressings and/or bandages on the residual limb post surgically. This allows the incision site to be monitored and dressings to be changed easily. Bandages are used onthe leg tolimit swelling.

Stitch Removal

Once the incision site has healed shut, the stiches will be removed. Your doctor may use some steri-strips over scar to protect the site. Though the site is closed, the skin is new and can be cery delicate. The steri-strips are placed over the scar tohelp hold the area together while tissue toughens and healing contiunes.

At this point you may begin some steps at home to prepare your leg for a prosthesis. Gently massage and tap on your leg to help desenitize it. You can take off a removable rigid dressing for short periods of time to exercise and bend you leg. Do not let you leg remain in a bent knee position for long periods of time. However, maintianing your range of motion in a full knee extension is important for fitting and walking with a prosthesis.

Prosthetics

Once your physician deems you are read for a prosthesis, your prosthetist will begin your prosthetic care. You will see your prosthetics many times over the next your. At the beginning when the prosthesis is new, you will see your prosthestist more frequently and visits will decrease in frequency over time Appointments take approximately one to twohours and you will usually be seen weekly at the beginning. Wear loose fitting clothing or shorts to your appointments.