Over the past 40 years, technology has dramatically affected the field of upper limb prosthesis. With improvement in the electronics industry, along with advances in the miniaturisation and mass production of electronic components, myoelectrically controlled prosthesis has become reliable and widespread in their use. Compared to lower extremity amputees, the acceptance of prosthetic replacement is less in upper extremity amputees. This may be due to different factors like functional needs, cosmetic factors, motivation of the patient, inadequate training following conventional prosthetic fitment, etc. More and more developments are going on in upper limb extremity prosthesis which will fulfill the need of the upper limb amputees. Such developments ensure better rehabilitation though cost is a limiting factor. This article is an earnest attempt to review the recent trends in upper limb prosthetics.

Evaluation of association between pain and functional limitation of osteo-arthritis knee with radiographic features.

Total of 123 knee OA patients diagnosed on the basis of American College of Rheumatology Classification (ACR) Criteria for knee OA, attended in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) OPD, JNIMS, were included. Pain and disability were measured using Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and radiological grading by Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading from x-ray of weight bearing antero-posterior and lateral views. Correlation between WOMAC score and KL grading analysed.

Sex distribution M:F=9:32, mean age 59.48 (+ 9.8), mean disease duration 4.79 (+ 0.41) months. Correlations of WOMAC pain and KL grading and WOMAC disability and KL grading were insignificant (p > 0.05).

There is discordance between radiographic findings and clinical features of OA knee and we should not plan treatment on the basis of radiologic grading rather on the functional status and symptoms.

Study of effectiveness of shoulder elbow wrist hand orthosis in the management of glenohumeral subluxation in post-stroke hemiplegic patients.

Design: Randomised control trial.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.

Post-stroke hemiplegic patients (n=120) having glenohumeral subluxation (GHS) as confirmed by x-ray.

One and half years (August 2010 to January 2012).

Control group (n=60) received routine rehabilitation programme for hemiplegic practice in the Department of PMR, RIMS while the experiment group (n=60) received shoulder elbow wrist hand orthosis in addition to rehabilitation programme.

Grade of glenohumeral subluxation using x-ray.

Experiment group showed reduction in the glenohumeral subluxation which is statistically significant when compared to control group (p<0.001).

Use of upper limb orthosis in addition to routine rehabilitation programme can effectively reduce glenohumeral subluxation in post-stroke hemiplegic patients.

Tracheostomy Tube care is a part of respiratory rehabilitation in acquired brain injury but just tracheostomy tube insertion is not enough. Checking for Pre-requisites including manufacturing details, and regular follow – up is important. Here we present a rare case of fracturing of the tracheostomy tube in a traumatic brain injury which was managed timely.

A forty-two years old housewife came to the outpatient department. She met with a very bad road traffic accident in childhood resulting in a crush injury of left lower limb and a degloving injury on the right lower limb. She had undergone transtibial amputation on the left and skin grafting on the right lower limbs. The scar has been transformed into a large keloid. Now she is ambulant with patellar tendon bearing prosthesis on the left side and a rocky hard, heavy, insensate right lower limb with a grotesque appearance. She requests amputation and prosthetic fitting on the right side.