@article{ref1,
title="Experts' perceived patient burden and outcomes of knee-ankle-foot-orthoses (KAFOs) vs. microprocessor-stance-and-swing-phase-controlled-knee-ankle-foot orthoses (MP-SSCO)",
journal="Canadian prosthetics and orthotics journal",
year="2022",
author="Brüggenjürgen, B. and Braatz, F. and Greitemann, B. and Drewitz, H. and Ruetz, A. and Schafer, M. and Seifert, W. and Steinfeldt, F. and Weichold, C. and Yao, D. and Stukenborg-Colsman, C.",
volume="5",
number="1",
pages="e37795-e37795",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Patients with neuromuscular knee-instability assisted with orthotic devices experience problems including pain, falls, mobility issues and limited engagement in daily activities. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse current real-life burden, needs and orthotic device outcomes in patients in need for advanced orthotic knee-ankle-foot-orthoses (KAFOs). <br><br>METHODOLOGY: An observer-based semi-structured telephone interview with orthotic care experts in Germany was applied. Interviews were transcribed and content-analysed. Quantitative questions were analysed descriptively. <br><br>FINDINGS: Clinical experts from eight centres which delivered an average of 49.9 KAFOs per year and 13.3 microprocessor-stance-and-swing-phase-controlled-knee-ankle-foot orthoses (MP-SSCOs) since product availability participated. Reported underlying conditions comprised incomplete paraplegia (18%), peripheral nerve lesions (20%), poliomyelitis (41%), post-traumatic lesions (8%) and other disorders (13%). The leading observed patient burdens were &quot;restriction of mobility&quot; (n=6), followed by &quot;emotional strain&quot; (n=5) and &quot;impaired gait pattern&quot; (n=4). Corresponding results for potential patient benefits were seen in &quot;improved quality-of-life&quot; (n=8) as well as &quot;improved gait pattern&quot; (n=8) followed by &quot;high reliability of the orthosis&quot; (n=7). In total, experts reported falls occurring in 71.5% of patients at a combined annual frequency of 7.0 fall events per year when using KAFOs or stance control orthoses (SCOs). In contrast, falls were observed in only 7.2 % of MPSSCO users. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Advanced orthotic technology might contribute to better quality of life of patients, improved gait pattern and perceived reliability of orthosis. In terms of safety a substantial decrease in frequency of falls was observed when comparing KAFO and MP-SSCO users.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2561-987X",
doi="10.33137/cpoj.v5i1.37795",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v5i1.37795"
}