By
Comfort Sena Fetrie, GNA,
Tamale, Jan. 14, GNA
– About 36 children between ages one week to 16 years have undergone various
amputation surgeries at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) resulting from road
and domestic accidents from 2015 to 2018.
Dr Noel Tolgou
Yempabe, Consultant Orthopaedic and head of the Trauma Unit at the TTH in an
interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the challenges confronting the
Trauma and Orthopaedic Department in Tamale said most of the amputations
resulted from delays at traditional bonesetters centres, road traffic
accidents, injuries from falling objects, Personal and Interpersonal violence,
self-injury and assault.
Dr Yempabe said in
Ghana bonesetters play important roles in managing fractures by using
traditional unscientific methods, and indicated that their activities mostly
led to severe complications resulting in the amputations and other health
risks, especially among children.
He said most
patients with fractured injuries first point of call usually are non-hospital
services, and arrived at the hospital with complications like gangrene, massive
swelling associated with pain which could cause amputations.
Dr Yempabe said
these complications contribute significantly in prolonging hospital stays,
increasing financial and psychological burden on caregivers.
He indicated that
Amputations in children were uncommon and often done in emergency situations as
lifesaving procedures or as planned cases resulting from congenital limb
deficiencies.
“Whatever the case
may be, losing a limb is a difficult and emotional situation for the patient,
family, and the health professionals who were directly involved in the care of
the patient”.
“Even though the
trauma-related amputations are often done in a haste to save the child’s life,
the orthopedic surgeon must pay critical attention to the basic principles of
creating a prosthetic friendly stump like adjustment of the limb which is also
costly”. Dr Yempabe added
He indicated that
after successfully undergoing amputations, amputee children face numerous
physical and psychosocial challenges with possible denting implications on
future functionality and ambitions.
He said rehabilitation
and obtaining the right prosthesis are extremely important in providing some
psychological and physical support, adding that there should be Limb prosthesis
that provide physical support for children to enable them participate in some
activities of daily living.
Dr Yempabe said the
important aspect of the cost involved in treating trauma-related amputations is
associated with the length of hospital stay, and indicated that there is the need for revising surgeries, the management
of infections, and rehabilitations, because they could warrant longer hospital
stays. “Based on our findings, the maximum and minimum days spent in the
hospital were 82 and 2 days respectively”.
He said major
referral hospitals and trauma management centers must be well equipped to
provide these services at affordable cost and advised parents and care givers
to be cautious and always make sure the children are safe in the environment
they play.
He advised members
of the public to ensure that trauma cases are taken to the hospital as first
point of call for proper medical care to save the victims from amputation.
GNA