Haitian Amputee Mother's Alliance Case

The aftermath of the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti undoubtedly left a mark on this poverty stricken nation.  Approximately 250,000 Haitians were injured as a result of the earthquake and of those injured, approximately 100,000 were amputees. After the earthquake the demand for aid from surrounding nations was enormous; sure enough many countries were there to help. The need for prosthetics is still a predominant problem in Haiti. They are trying to urge outside countries and foundations to donate used prosthetics to the amputees. They are also trying to educate amputees to aid fellow amputees about cleaning their wounds and other fundamental processes. This is very important to prevent infections in the patients’ wounds. The Haitian Amputee Mothers Alliance (HAMA) was created in an effort to obtain high-quality prosthetics for the members of the group (about 60 women). Another important part is to make sure that their new limbs will be incorporated to fit their life styles.  

Chrisliane, an active 20 year old woman who lost her leg in the Haitian earthquake, is a member of this alliance looking for a better prosthetic.  We propose the Otto Bock Harmony P3 prosthetic leg for Chrisliane. This device has a very high rating for active amputees. This prosthetic has many advantages especially how the leg stays on very well due to the innovative suction technology.  As the amputee transfers weight on to the prosthetic it generates negative pressure, thus suctioning the prosthetic onto the remaining limb. This makes it more comfortable because the socket is connected using only air. The prosthetic also reduces the painful forces within the socket, and improves body awareness of the new limb. It is also very light weight which is perfect for patients with active lifestyles such as Chrisliane.