International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-9096
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2329-9096
+44 1300 500008
H K Krans-Schreuder
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Int J Phys Med Rehabil
Introduction: Between May 2000 and October 2008, 22 patients from the University Medical Center Groningen (The Netherlands) underwent amputation of a non-functional limb because of longstanding and therapy-resistant CRPS-Î?. A study was started to gain insight in consequences of an amputation on pain, participation in daily life activities, quality of life, use of prosthesis and risk of recurrence in patients with longstanding, therapy resistant Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I (CRPS-Î?). Method: All patients were interviewed through a semi-structured interview and underwent a physical examination. Results: Main outcome measures were: Pain, perceived changes after amputation, participation in daily life activities, quality of life, use of prosthesis and recurrence of CRPS-I. Twenty patients (95%) reported an improvement of their lives. Nineteen patients (90%) reported a reduction in pain, 17 patients (81%) reported an improvement of mobility and 14 (67%) reported an improvement in sleep. Quality of life was rated as good by 14 patients. Reconsidering, 18 out of 21 patients would again choose to undergo an amputation. Ten of the 15 lower limb amputees and 1 of the 6 upper limb amputees were regularly used prosthesis. There was a recurrence of CRPS-Î? in the residual limb of 3 patients (14%) and (recurrence of) symptoms were reported in another limb for 2 patients (10%). Conclusions: Amputation may positively contribute to the lives of patients with longstanding, therapy-resistant CRPS-Î?. Use of prosthesis is likely for lower limb amputees. Risk of recurrence of CRPS-I was 24%.
H K Krans-Schreuder, MD has completed her specialization as a physiatrist at the age of 29 years from University Medical Center Groningen and finished Medicine at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. During her specialization, she did research on amputation for CRPS-I, which resulted in an article, published in J Bone Joint Surg. Am. 2012 Dec 19; 94(24):2263-8. She works as a physiatrist at Bethesda Medical Center, Hoogeveen.