Total Fibulectomy for the Short Below Knee Stumps

Shim, Jae Ik; Kim, Dong Eun; Chung, In Whan; Park, Seong Kyu; Choi, Young Jong; Lee, Hak Seung

Abstract

Although it is evident that even a very short below knee stump is superior to the lengest above knee stump, short below knee stumps present difficult pmblems in fitting prostheses. To solve these problems, twenty-nine short below knee amputees, those could not be fitted prostheses because of stump complications, had been treated by fibulectomy and resection of the peroneal nerve from March 1978 to March 1983. All the cases were followed up average 2 years and 3 months and the following results were obtained: 1. The complications of short below knee stumps decreased significantly after fibulectomy and res ection of the peroneal nerve. 2. After fibulectomy, weight bearing areas under the lateral tibial condyle increased considerably. 3. In group of below knee stumps between 5cm and 7.4cm long, P.T.B. prostheses with metal joints and thigh corsets should be fitted without difficulties. 4. In group of short below knee stumps between 7.5cm and 9.9cm long, P.T.B. prostheses with steel joints and thigh corsets, P.T.B. prostheses with knee cuff only, or supracondylar P.T.B. prostheses (K. B. M.) could be fitted selectively without any difficulty. 5. In group of short below knee stumps between 10cm and 12cm long, P. T.B. prostheses with knee cuff only or supracondylar P. T.B. prostheses could be fitted selectively without any difficulty. 6. After fibulectomy and resection of the peroneal nerve, all the short below knee amputees except for one case of very short stump (4.5cm long) could walk with their prostheses satisfactorily.