Prosthetics and Orthotics

  BRIEF HISTORY OF PROSTHETICS AND ORTHOTICS DEPARTMEMT

Established in 1959 as workshop for making simple orthopeadic aids and artificial limbs (pylons or legs) units as it is today, it’s turned to be Prosthetics and orthotics Department for fabricating all forms of orthopaedic appliances (orthoses) and centre for semi-advance prosthetic technolohy for all levels of amputations of both lower  and upper  limbs prosthetic and orthoses with plastic-leather  and wood. We serve the whole country and West Africa region. During civil War in 1970’s when the demand for both artificial limbs and orthoses increased, the department became more popular with the awareness of the need/value of orthoses andprosthesis

In 2004.  Jaipur  Limbs Project started by Kano Rotary Club and Rotary International in partnership with the U.K base Rotary Jaipur Limbs for the indigene amputees in the community after the visit to the hospital by some of the officials from U.K base Rotary. They chose a specific building in prosthetics and Orthotics Department. They renovated the building and equipped and then trained some staff in the Jaipur limb making of only legs. During the training which started on April 2007, which has to go with production, we fitted 15 patients and after the training, we fitted 190 patients

The project fully took up in May 2007 to April 2010. We fitted a total of 702 at very low prizes rate in comparison to our conventional type of Prosthesis. Thank to Rotary for humanitarian effort

The Department presently is managed by Head of Department who has certified Prosthetist/Orthotist  Diploma of B.I.S.T British surgical technologist and one-certificate diploma in Orthopaedic Technology from Tatcot Tanzania and fifteen bench technicians of different technical skills in Orthotics and Prosthetics. It has the following sections each headed by a sectional head for smooth running and coordination with sister section

      1.      Departmental clinic this units operates departmental Daily clinic Monday  to Frday for attending patients arriving with or without prescription from Medical and Orthopaedic clinics. The purpose is to re-examine and evaluate in order to establish definite Prosthetics or Orthothics need of the individual patient.  In addition to detailed prescription be supplied by the Doctor

      2.      Records   to provide a memory feedback of patient treatment record section they keep comprehensive information of all patients with types of appliances the use with intensive details obtained on the patient

       3.      Workshop/Laboratory  there function is to produce actual appliances  for the patients with  their  measurement and details received from the clinical department . They are divided into small sections according to the class of work and type of materials employed. Thus we have wood, metal, leather,  plastic and Jaipur/peg leg(Pylon)

a.      Wood section construct(foot) and assemble  plastics sockets to the components e.g for above knee socket to knee components and foot up to the prosthetic devices for the trial fitting and gait analysis(walking trial)

b.      Below knee socket/lower part of ankle and artificial   for or through knee side stalls and socket with artificial foot

c.       Metal section  they construct and align ambulatory aids and orthotic frames for covering and fitting

d.      Shoes section modifies shoe cast/casts and construct footwear for abnormal  e.g  polia Leather section orthopaedics/shoes and normal feet

e.      Leather section they put final leather covering on orthoses and fabricates auxiliary suspension belts for prosthetic fittings

f.        Plastic Section  they  fabricate socket parts, insert  and final plastic covering for  prosthesis that is   lamination. They can also mold an orthoses for any part of the body segment with plastic sheets after the casting the part of the body that need orthoses.

g.      Stores  they are involved in purchasing and stocking materials for prosthetic/orthotic dispensing to the various section of the department

Attending to Referrals

We attend referrals for the fabrication of appliances Prosthetics and Orthotics from our Hospital clinics and words rounds in addition to those from all Orthopaedic clinics across the country and neighboring countries.

ALHAJI JA’AFARU M.DAMAU

HEAD OF PROSTHETICS &ORTHOTICS DEPT