Orthopaedic Surgery in the Mentally Retarded

¹ 2609 Fairfield Avenue, Fort Wayne 6, Indiana

The following points should be emphasized:

1. Mental retardation is not a contra-indication to either conservative or operative orthopaedic measures;

2. Orthopaedic surgery can improve nursing care and hygiene in the totally bedridden patient with deformities;

3. In selected cases orthopaedic surgery can convert the bedridden patient to one who leads a wheel-chair existence;

4. Gait and function can be improved by correction of deformities;

5. Restoration of selected individuals to society and to gainful employment can be facilitated by appropriate orthopaedic treatment;

6. Orthopaedic surgery can definitely improve the mental outlook of the mentally retarded and increase the desire and consequent capacity for further rehabilitation in many;

7. The Orthopaedic Service at a particular institution, Fort Wayne State School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has, in its past two years of operation, played an important part in the restoration of seventy resident patients to society or gainful employment, or both; during this period eighty additional persons have been placed on day-to-day trial status outside the institution.

Today, through various means of communication, the general public has be-become increasingly aware of the problems of mental health. It also has become more aware of existing methods and facilities for dealing with these problems and is demanding ever-improving methods and ever-increasing facilities for treatment and housing of mental patients. Those specifically concerned with the problems of the mentally retarded have developed the multidisciplinary approach to the patient. The orthopaedist can, and should, play an important part in that approach.

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