Padilla RAA, Vasco TPP, Jiménez ÁGE, Sánchez AVL, Vinueza VNG

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 1-9
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ABSTRACT

Introduction: the Ministry of Public Health In Ecuador, makes strenuous efforts to ensure the prosthetization of patients requiring prosthetic limbs, but there are only three Technical Orthopedics laboratories, where these prosthetics are made; one of which is located in Pichincha, the capital, with the responsibility to assist patients of 12 provinces. Objective: to determine the target population, that had benefited from the making or repair of prosthetic limbs, in the Laboratory of Technical Orthopedics Pichincha, during its first three years of work. Methods: an observational, descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study was conducted in the period between September 2012 and August 2015, the universe consisted of 860 patients who received aid in the aforementioned laboratory, whereas the sample was of 782 patients benefited with prostheses. All information was processed automatically, organized and summarized through frequency distribution, and contingency tables. Results: 782 amputees benefited from the delivery or repair of 825 prostheses. The age groups from 50 to 59 years and 60 to 69 years prevailed, as well as the male gender. The main cause of amputation was trauma, and most of the amputations were performed at transtibial level. Conclusions: the population benefited by the delivery or repair of prosthesis is small and diabetes mellitus as cause was little represented, demonstrating a poor coverage to the neediest groups, to take into consideration to ensure a more effective attention in the immediate future.