Review Question - QID 4579

A through-knee amputation, or knee disarticulation, is the most proximal level of amputation a child can undergo and still maintain a self-selected walking speed without significantly increasing their energy expenditure.

Jeans et al. conducted a study of 73 children. They found that children with Above-knee amputations (AKA) and hip disarticulation amputations had significantly reduced walking speed and increased oxygen consumption. They also determined that children with a Syme's amputation, transtibial amputation, or knee disarticulation ambulated with approximately the same speed and oxygen consumption as did normal children in the same age group.

Herbert et al. performed a study of 10 children with below knee amputations (BKA's)compared to 14 children without amputations. They found that that children with BKAs did not choose speeds different from their peers without amputations, regardless of residual limb length of the BKA.

Illustration V is a video showing a through-knee amputation.

Incorrect Answers:
Answer 1: Girdlestone hip resection removes the entire proximal femur and commonly is done through a lateral approach.
Answer 2: Above-knee amputation is performed through the femur and attention is needed for adductor myodesis to prevent abduction deformity.
Answer 4: Below-knee amputation is performed commonly 12-15cm inferior to the knee joint line.
Answer 5: Chopart amputation is performed through the transverse tarsal joints and leaves the talus and calcaneus intact.