A Preliminary Cost-Utility Analysis of the Prosthetic Care Innovations: Case of the Keep Walking Implant.

Several obstacles must be overcome before preliminary cost-utility analyses (CUA) of prosthetic care innovations can be routinely performed. The basic framework of preliminary CUAs and hands- on recommendations suggested previously might contribute to wider adoption. However, a practical application for an emerging intervention is needed to showcase the capacity of this proposed preliminary CUA framework.

How whole-body vibration can help our COPD patients. Physiological changes at different vibration frequencies.

Objective: Evaluate cardiac, metabolic, and ventilatory changes during a training session with whole-body vibration training (WBVT) with 3 different frequencies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: This was a prospective, interventional trial in outpatients with severe COPD. Participants performed 3 vertical WBVT sessions once a week using frequencies of 35, 25 Hz and no vibration in squatting position (isometric).

Ischiocrural Strength May Be a Better Prognostic Marker Than Quadriceps Strength in COPD.

It is well known that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients present with muscle dysfunction that may not correlate with the degree of severity of airflow obstruction. Historically, the strength deficit of the knee extensor musculature (quadriceps) has been described as an independent factor of mortality in COPD. We present the results of a retrospective study with longitudinal follow-up of 60 patients with severe COPD followed for 7 years.

Distance and speed of walking in individuals with trans-femoral amputation fitted with a distal weight-bearing implant.

Introduction: Preservation of femoral condyles in patients with knee disarticulation amputation (KDA) facilitates distal support inside the socket, compared to trans-femoral amputation (TFA), and allows the direct transfer of weight-bearing loads toward residual limbs.

Hypothesis: The hypothesis was that the gait distance and speed of TFA patients after a surgical femoral implant that allowed the distal support of the residuum would improve.

Material And Methods: Twenty-three TFA patients received a titanium implant that allowed the distal weight bearing of the residuum inside the socket.