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Syracuse Prosthetic Orthotic Center

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Prosthetics

We don’t have to tell you that the loss of a limb is one of the most traumatic experiences you can face in life. It’s more frightening than most people can imagine. So, the most important thing to keep in mind, whether you have lost a limb to disease or trauma, is that this is not the end, but the beginning of the next phase of your life. At Syracuse Prosthetic Orthotic Center we are here every day working to help you get your life back with the help of a new arm or leg.

Making Your New Limb

You are a unique individual and so is your injury. And when it comes to creating a new limb the first thing to
remember is that no two prostheses are alike. There is no such thing as an off the shelf, one size fits all (or
even many) prosthesis!

More About Making Your New Limb

Prosthetics For Athletics

At Syracuse Prosthetic Orthotic Center we believe that just about anything is possible. And over the years we have built custom prostheses that would allow our clients to do just about anything they wanted.

More About Prosthetics For Athletics

How Others Have Lost Their Limbs

Case Study #1 - TRANSFEMORAL AMPUTATION

The Patient: Howard Tyo

The problem: The patient presented with the complaint that the distance he can walk at one time has been steadily decreasing due to intermittent claudication. He has no complaint of sores or discomfort in any one aspect ofhis prosthesis and no complaint of stability or alignment problems. He is able to walk only about fifty feet maximum at one time before having to stop.

The goal:
Increase the distance and time the patient can stand and ambulate in his prosthesis without developing pain in his residuum.

The challenge:
The patient is an eighty two year old amputee of many years. He has a mid-length residuum with very poor soft tissue coverage, prominent bony structure and a painful neuroma in the mid-distal aspect of his residuum. He has extensive scaring and invaginated scaring due to trauma.

He has PAD and has had several artery transplants and stents. The vascularation to his residuum is poor and there is no way to improve it. The patient needs additional protection to his residuum and would benefit from suction suspension, but no liner will fit his residuum and his skin is too fragile to accept standard suction suspension.

The solution:
A prosthesis was designed to provide maximum flexibility and comfort in specific areas of the socket while providing shock and torsional absorption during ambulation while maintaining the lightest possible overall weight. This was accomplished by adding a custom distal pad to add protection to the very prominent distal femur while creating a shape a suction liner can fit over.

Additionally we constructed an ISNY – (Icelandic / Swedish / New York) style of socket that incorporated a soft flexible socket with a rigid frame structure to maintain the shape of the socket. This allowed flexibility and comfort in specific areas of the socket, such as the area of his neuroma and femoral artery, while incorporating a rigid framework, carbon fiber, spectralon and other high tech, tremendously strong but
lightweight materials to maintain the necessary shape of the socket and connect the socket to the rest of the functional parts of the prosthesis.

Components were selected that would provide shock absorption and torsional absorption to further reduce pressures within the socket/leg interface while maintaining the lightest possible overall system.

The result:
Increased comfort and decreased socket pressure that allows the patient to ambulate for a minimum of one hundred, and at times up to one thousand, feet at a time without the debilitating pain that previously limited his ambulation. This has allowed the patient to resume woodworking and other activities that were becoming increasingly limited.

Case Study #2 - TRANSFEMORAL AMPUTATION DUE TO PAD

The Patient: Ada Hackett

The problem:
he patient, an 80-year-old right transfemoral amputee, was referred for a prosthetic evaluation by her physical therapist.

She presented with a prosthetic system recently built by another prosthetist.

The patient complained that she could not stand in her prosthesis because of pain. Her therapist stated that the patient could not lift her foot to ambulate. Her therapist also stated that she could not get the patient’s residuum all of the way into her prosthetic socket.

The patient and therapist stated that the patient has never been able to wear her prosthesis because of extreme pain upon weight bearing.

Evaluation revealed the patient has a mid length, well-healed transfemoral amputation with excellent distal padding. She has good strength and range of motion with no flexion contracture evident.

The patient stated that she has been bed-ridden for almost two years. She can stand with assistance, but she cannot ambulate. Her tissue is in overall good condition and she shows no evidence of edema in her residuum.

Her original socket was apparently designed to be used as a semi-suction socket with a TES belt suspension as primary.

The Evaulation:
Inspection of her prosthesis fit showed the socket is tight to the point that she cannot get all of the way into the socket even with a shrinker as a socket interface, and she fits into the socket with her ischium well above the socket trim rather than in the socket.

The socket was extremely tight in the scarpus area which creates extreme pain to the patient on weight bearing. The socket liner had holes in it that would not allow the patient to be pulled into the socket with a thin or no sock as window edema would occur.

There was no way to increase the socket volume enough to make her fit adequately.

The knee/shin system on her prosthesis was a combination locking/safety knee with an extension assist which is adequate for the patient’s needs.

She had a simple SACH foot which may need to be replaced as she begins to ambulate with a free swinging knee if we can indeed make that a reality. It was, however, adequate for her current needs.

The recommendation:
My recommendation was, for the time being, to replace the socket on her existing prosthesis.

The result:
Patient’s physical therapist reports that patient is doing well with her modified prosthesis.

Patient can again get to standing by herself. The therapist for the first time in two years have been able to re-build her overall physical strength. Her big goal is to be able to walk out to her porch again and watch her birds and her garden. We’re confident we can indeed reach that goal.

The Prosthetics Team

John Tyo, CP, CEO
John Tyo, CP, CEO
John Tyo, CP, CEO
John Tyo, CP, CEO

John Tyo has spent his entire life around prostheses and prosthetic users. In fact, John took over the business from his father, Howard, himself an above knee amputee since the age of nineteen. As John was growing up his father taught him how to hunt, fish, ice skate, drive a boat and water ski, all activities Howard enjoyed with his friends, many of whom were also amputees. John became involved with helping out in his father’s “shop” at an early age. His involvement in the field is both intimate and lifelong. He has a very firm grasp and personal knowledge of the unique challenges of living life with an amputation. John studied prosthetics at Northwestern and has been involved in continuing education in the field, both teaching and learning, ever since. He has a reputation in the field for being at the cutting edge of new developments, and is frequently involved in beta testing new innovations. A past disabled instructor and guide, John has been involved with National Handicapped Sports for many years first on a local and then a national basis.

Certified by The American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, John has a clinical affiliation at VA Medical Center, Syracuse. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, Amputee Coalition of America, and past director of the International Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists.

john@spocsyr.com

Jeffery Tyo, CP
Jeffery Tyo, CP
Jeffery Tyo, CP
Jeffery Tyo, CP

Jeff represents the third generation of Tyos who heard the calling of prosthetics and much to his father and grandfather’s delight, decided to make a career of it. He received his Blended Learning Certificate Program for Prosthetics from the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center and finished his residency here at SPOC. Jeff is the father of two, is very active and loves the outdoors. He is an avid mountain biker and snowboarder.

Certifications: The American Board for Certification in Prosthetics – Certified Prosthetist.

Clinical Affiliation: VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY

Member: American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association.

jeff@spocsyr.com

Jim Detwiler, CPO
Jim Detwiler, CPO
Jim Detwiler, CPO
Jim Detwiler, CPO

Jim brings the same passionate nature to his patient care here at SPOC that he exhibited as a US Lacrosse All-American. Born and raised in Rochester, N.Y., Jim attended Mercyhurst University where he earned undergraduate degrees in physical therapy and sports medicine. He attended St. Petersburg College where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics. His commitment to excellence fits SPOC perfectly.

jim@spocsyr.com

Tony Marschall, CPO
Tony Marschall, CPO
Tony Marschall, CPO
Tony Marschall, CPO

Tony graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Business Management and Applied Economics. He did his course work in orthotics and prosthetics at Northwestern University, followed by a residency at the Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine in NYC. Tony’s career includes past presidency of the New York Chapter of The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and a 10-year proprietorship of Marschall Labs, LTD. He is currently a fellow of the American Academy.

tony@spocsyr.com

Keith Willis, CPO
Keith Willis, CPO
Keith Willis, CPO
Keith Willis, CPO

With 36 years of experience, Keith brings old school capabilities coupled with cutting edge knowledge of modern engineering to SPOC. He has a passion for the hands on technical aspects of the fabrication and fitting of Orthotic and Prosthetic devices. He operated ”Enable O and P,” from its inception until 2013. In 2006 Keith helped co-found “En-motion,” an amputee support group that focuses on empowering and educating amputees, friends and family. He brings a life-long dedication to the disabled population fitting perfectly with the SPOC vision of patient care.

keith@spocsyr.com

Charles Robinson, CFO, CTO
Charles Robinson, CFO, CTO
Charles Robinson, CFO, CTO
Charles Robinson, CFO, CTO

Charles has been in the Orthotic and Prosthetic field for over thirty years. He has extensive knowledge and experience in all phases of fabrication. He has worked in many different settings over the years from small private practices to large scale central fabrication centers and most recently came to us from the University of Rochester’s O&P Department.  Where he was responsible for managing all aspects of fabrication, employee training, and work flow. In addition, he served as a clinical assistant providing direct patient care which really helped to bring his experience and knowledge full-circle.  His unique skillset and ability to connect with others make him a strong asset to his colleagues and patients. His standards of care and commitment to excellence make him an integral part of the SPOC team. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys time with his family and dogs Remi and Bella. 

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1124 E. Fayette St.
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