| Abstrakt | | The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of electrostimulation on the arterial circulation of a contralateral limb and its ability to perform work, after a major amputation. The study encompassed 50 patients who were admitted to the rehabilitation centre to obtain a leg prosthesis and to return walking ability after amputation of one lower limb because of severe circulatory distrurbances. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. The first group contained 25 patients treated with a standard exercise programme for patients with limb amputation (control group-c). According to the Fontaines classification of PAOD, 2 patients were in stage 0, 15 patients were in stage I and 8 patients in stage II. In the second group-the electro stimulated (ES) there were also 25 patients, having the same rehabilitation programme, to which electrostimulation of the gastrocnemius muscle of the remaining leg was added. 2 patients were in stage 0,14 patients were in stage I, 8 patients in stage II and 1 patient in stage III of PAOD. For electrostimulation the alternating electrical current of 40 Hz repetition frequency was used. The electrostimulation programme consisted of 2 hours electrostimulation per day for 8 weeks. Each patient was examined at the start of the rehabilitation programme (examination I), at the end of the 8 week programme (examination II) and at the end of a 1 year follow-up period (examination III). The state of blood supply in the affected lower limb was screened on the basis of a clinical examination and non-invasive methods of measuring perfusion pressures by means of a Doppler detector and percutaneous measuring of the partial oxygen pressure (TcpO2). (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters.)
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