Author/Editor		Burger, Helena; Maver, Tomaž; Marinček, Črt
Title		Partial hand amputation and work
Type		članek
Source		Disabil Rehabil
Vol. and No.		Letnik 29, št. 17
Publication year		2007
Volume		str. 1317-21
Language		eng
Abstract		Purpose. The aim of the study was to find whether subjects who had had a partial hand amputation were able to return to the same job and whether they used their silicone finger prosthesis for work. Method. Medical records of all the patients who had undergone a traumatic partial hand amputation and who had been treated in the Upper Limb Prosthetic Clinic at the Institute for Rehabilitation in Ljubljana and were reviewed. A questionnaire was sent to 112 patients. Forty-eight of the questionnaires which were sent back and had been correctly answered were analyzed. Results. The study found that less than half of the patients who had had a partial hand amputation were able to do the same work as before the amputation. Less than one third wore their silicone prosthesis at work regularly. The subjects who did not have manual jobs and who had an amputation of only one or two fingers were able to keep the same job more easily after the amputation. Only a few subjects found theirsilicone prosthesis useful at work. Conclusion It can be concluded that partial hand amputation may present a great problem in keeping the same job after amputation. An esthetic (cosmetic) silicone prosthesis is helpful particularly for subjects with higher education whose work involves personal contacts and for whom esthetics is important. They use the prosthesis for certain activities, such as typing.