Objective

The quality of the residual limb of the amputations in the consequences of a ballistic trauma often was compromised and limits the success of a good equipment for a satisfactory locomotive function.

The objective of the study is to describe the various anomalies of the residual limb and their difficulty of equipment of the traumatic amputations by bal

Patients and methods

A descriptive retrospective study concerned patients amputated of lower limbs in the consequences of a ballistic trauma during the military crisis in Ivory Coast from 2010 to 2012 and dealt in the center of equipment “Vivre Debout” in the Teacher Hospital of Yopougon.

Results

A total of 245 patients amputated of lower limbs identified over the period among which 87 of the traumatic origin (31.51%). On 87 traumatic amputees, 39 were the fact of a gunshot wound (44.82%).

The average age of the patients was of 31.96 years with extremes of 12 years and 69 years for the greater part men with a sex ratio of 9.1.

The seat of the amputations was transfemoral in 57.1% of the cases. We noted 32 cases of anomaly of the stub (82.14%) to type of disorder trophique (25 cases), of anomaly of length (15 cases) of orthopaedic disorders to type of steepness of hip and the knee 19 cases and 5 cases of névromes painful.

Thirty-five patients were able to be sailed with 34 cases of prescription of preliminary physiotherapy but 15 cases presented a cutaneous pathology bound to the maladjustment of the prosthesis.

Discussion/Conclusion

Gunshot wounds in the armed conflicts are the fact of balls of big calibre with a decay of the limb. The surgical treatment being often made in emergency conditions has for priority objective the rescue of the life of the patient. This does not still bring the often junior surgeon to make a useful stub for a future equipment adapted to a locomotive quality function.

In conclusion, the residual limb of the ballistic amputees is the frequent seat of anomalies of stub with as consequence of the difficulties of equipment.