Case Study
Year: 2020 | Month: September | Volume: 10 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 260-263
Modified Wrist Driven Flexor Hinge Splint for C6 Quadriplegic Patients
Bapina Kumar Rout1, Prasanth. C2
1Assistant Professor, ISHWAR Institute of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Chennai, India
2Clinical Prosthetist and Orthotist, Ortho India, Chennai, India
Corresponding Author: Rout. B K
ABSTRACT
The wrist-driven flexor hinge orthosis (WDFHO) is a mechanical device used to restore hand function in persons with quadriplegia caused due to lower cervical spinal injury (C6, C7, C8) spinal cord injury by furnishing three-point prehension1. We have studied the effectiveness and biomechanical properties of a modified wrist driven flexor hinge splint in person with C6 (lower cervical) cervical spinal injured patient. This study introduces a mechanical operating model to assess the efficacy of the WDFHO (Wrist Driven Flexor Hinge Splint). The improvement seen during the entire course of patient treatment procedure was overwhelming. An indirect Pinch strength test was conducted in two phases by assessing the capacity of the patient to lift the weight with and without the orthosis. With the orthosis patient was able to lift 3 times more weight as compared to patient without the orthosis. This remarkable improvement in pinch strength may be due to the improved three jaw chuck prehension pattern due to the wrist driven flexor hinge splint. Along with that improvement in various hand dexterities were seen as the subject was able to hold cylindrical objects, key and pencil in his hand.
Key words: WDFHO (wrist driven flexor hinge splint), quadriplegia, three jaw chuck prehension (or) Three point prehension.