Creation of a brochure for amputees: Living with an amputation.

OBJECTIVE: A lower limb amputation is a major event for a patient with many questions arising for him and his family. Individual and environmental factors could influence patient's quality of life and adaptation to amputation. Most of the time brochures concern post operative care after limb amputation (surgery type, stump medical care, prosthetics…). Rehabilitation is often only briefly dealt with these brochures. OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY: (1) To write a brochure specifically concerning rehabilitation for lower limb amputees. (2) To assess patients' opinion and satisfaction concerning the relevance and quality of this brochure.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: (1) Creation of a multidisciplinary team. Creation of a brochure concerning rehabilitation. Modification after 5 amputees' opinion (2 patients in rehabilitation and 3 after discharge). (2) Brochure's evaluation by lower limb amputees, living at home, with questions concerning: clarity, choice of themes selected and illustrations, reassurance, usability and utility. Open-ended and closed-ended questions.

RESULTS: (1) Illustrated brochure with 15 questions-and-answers concerning the following themes: "my preparation for active rehabilitation", "recovering my autonomy" and "return to everyday life". Topics are: pain management, body image, physiotherapy, prosthetics, gait rehabilitation, driving adaptations, home adaptations, professional life, leisure and sports activities, place in society, insurances. Illustrations by a cartoonist. (2) Brochure sent to a hundred patients. Compilation of results ongoing.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: An illustrated brochure concerning rehabilitation after an amputation was written and issued in digital format and in paper. Data recording is ongoing but the first findings are positive and very encouraging. This document including patients' questions and professionals' answers could form basis for discussion with patients and constitute a preliminary stage to a therapeutic education program.