Moa Kawa Itchina
17/09/2022
Good evening Karakura,
My name is Mx Itchina and this week I have been investigating prosthetics and how they work. The aim of this is to help the readers of this article better understand where they come from, what prosthetics are out there and how to access them. I spoke with Clinical Lead Hilo Sharma to learn more about them, and have a better understanding of how they work too! Mr Sharma defines them as ‘an artificial implant or limb’. He carried on explaining how depending on the situation the hospital within the town can offer a range of prosthetics from functional limbs such as legs, to voice boxes or eyes. It’s interesting to note how the surgical team within the town is able to perform such intricate procedures with such a small surgical team. I did question what would ensure the need for a prosthetic, and the simple answer was to have a certain limb removed. It’s interesting to note that Mr Sharma declined to share details on how exactly they face so many cases of limbs being taken, however hinted at criminal involvement.
The process for a prosthetic is to undergo major surgery within the hospital, where the affected area is treated and sealed. The patient is often sent home with medication, and any necessary items to help them during the healing process. The body takes around a month to adjust to the new ‘situation’, and it is required to attend PT sessions with the staff team at the hospital to help the body adjust to the drastic change. Once the area is healed, a prosthetic will be fitted, this will be joined by more PT sessions to better adjust to the new way of using the prosthetic. The team will also demonstrate and help you learn to use the prosthetic alongside these sessions.
Mr Sharma himself is a paraplegic and uses two prosthetic legs to go about his daily life. He spoke of how they offer ‘independence’, and supporting his balance, enabling him to continue to do his job. In many situations, there are disadvantages to being a paraplegic, such as the remaining limb becoming weak, body stress and mental health. These are big factors surrounding having a prosthetic and can deter some, however the benefits do outweigh the negatives due to giving back quality of life to the patient.
I hope this report was informative, and offered some insight into how prosthetics work. Have a good night!
