WRIST-DRIVEN PREHENSION PROSTHESIS FOR AMPUTEE PATIENTS WITH DISARTICULATION OF THE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER

Partial hand amputations may leave significant functional limitations that are difficult to ameliorate by either orthoses or prostheses. Dis articulation of the thumb and index finger at the metacarpophalangeal joint level and the range of motion of the three remaining fingers wou ld be insufficient to provide any type of grasp. In cases like this, a cosmetic hand usually seems to be the best solution. This report desc ribes the design and use of a wrist-driven prehension prosthesis that was applied to a patient and provided a considerable improvement in fu nction and cosmesis. (C) 1998 by the American Congress of Rehabilitati on Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabili tation.