Growth factor delivery may be useful to accelerate the rate of tendon healing. We studied Platelet Concentrate, which in effect can be regarded as a cocktail of growth factors relevant for tendon healing. In a rat Achilles tendon transection model, one postoperative injection of Platelet Concentrate resulted in increased strength even 3 weeks later. Mechanical stimulation improves the repair of ruptured tendons. We studied the effects of platelets upon Achilles tendon regenerates in rats 3, 5 and 14 days after transection, either unloaded or mechanically stimulated. At 14 days, physical activity and platelets increased repair independently. Unloading decreased the mechanical properties of the repair tissue to less than half of normal. Moreover, the platelets had no effect without loading. Thrombin, which we used for platelet activation, improved healing of the rat Achilles tendon by itself. Conversely, continuous inhibition of thrombin by low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) inhibited tendon repair. However, intermittent inhibition, similar to clinical thromboprophylaxis, had no effect on tendon healing. Cartilage Derived Morphogenetic Protein-2 (CDMP-2) can improve tendon healing in loaded defect models. We now studied unloaded repair in a rabbit patellar tendon model. Two hours postoperative, the rabbits received CDMP-2 injected into the haematoma. The healing tendon became 65 % stronger than controls. We then studied Achilles tendon healing with CDMP-2 injections in sheep, to get a bigger animal model. There was an unexpectedly high variation of repair in these animals, and the study turned out to be underpowered. Spontaneous ruptures in humans have a more variable geometry than in our sheep model, so humans can also be expected to vary a lot in mechanical characteristics of Achilles tendon repair. This accentuates the importance of individualized rehabilitation programs. In conclusion, both platelet concentrate and CDMP-2 injections might be of interest for clinical use as a complement to surgical or conservative treatment of tendon ruptures. Platelet treatment for tendon ruptures should probably be combined with early physiotherapy.

Tendinopathies are painful tendon conditions of presumably multifactorial genesis. In tendinosis, as in Achilles tendinosis, there is apart from pain also morphological changes which are described as degenerative with no signs of inflammation. The exact mechanisms behind these conditions are still, to a large extent, unknown. Pain, being the foremost impairing symptom, leads us to the hypothesis that nerves are deeply involved in the symptoms and processes of Achilles tendinosis. Locally produced nerve signal substances may also be involved in the processes. Knowledge of the innervation patterns within the tendon and knowledge on a possible local nerve signal substance production are therefore of utmost importance. There is a lack of information on these aspects. The specific aims of this thesis were 1) to investigate the innervation patterns regarding general, sensory, cholinergic and sympathetic innervations, and 2) to examine for the possible occurrence of a production of nerve signal substances and a presence of receptors related to these in the tendon cells, the tenocytes. Painfree normal and tendinosis Achilles tendons were examined. Immunohistochemistry, using antibodies against the general nerve marker PGP9.5, the synthesizing enzymes for acetylcholine (choline acetyltransferase; ChAT), and catecholamines (tyrosine hydroxylase; TH), the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), neuropeptide Y (NPY), substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, was applied. Immunohistochemistry was also used for the delineation of muscarinic (M2R), adrenergic (α1-AR) and NPY-ergic (Y1 and Y2) receptors. To detect mRNA for TH and ChAT, in situ hybridization was used. In normal Achilles tendons, as well as in the tendinosis tendons, there was a very scanty innervation within the tendon tissue proper, the main general, sensory and sympathetic innervations being found in the paratendinous loose connective tissue. Interestingly, the tenocytes showed immunoreactions for ChAT, VAChT, TH, M2R, α1-AR and Y1R. The reactions were clearly more observable in tendons of tendinosis patients than in those of controls. The tenocytes of tendinosis patients also displayed mRNA reactions for ChAT and TH. Nevertheless, all tenocytes in the tendinosis specimens did not show these reactions. Immunoreactions for α1-AR, M2R and Y1R were also seen for blood vessel walls. The present thesis shows that there is a very limited innervation within tendon tissue proper, whilst there is a substantial innervation in the paratendinous loose connective tissue. It also gives evidence for an occurrence of production of catecholamines and acetylcholine in tenocytes, especially for tendinosis tendons. Furthermore, that ACh, catecholamines and NPY can have effects on these, as well as on blood vessels, via the receptors observed. The observations suggest that Achilles tendon tissue, whilst containing a very scarce innervation, exhibits autocrine/paracrine cholinergic/catecholaminergic/NPY-ergic effects that are upregulated in tendinosis. These findings are of great importance as the results of such effects may mimic processes that are known to occur in tendinosis. That includes effects related to proliferation and angiogenesis, and blood vessel and collagen regulating effects. In conclusion, within the Achilles tendon there is a very scarce innervation, whilst there appears to be a marked local production of nerve signal substances in Achilles tendinosis, namely in the tenocytes, the cells also harbouring receptors for these substances. The observations give a new insight into how the tendon tissue of the Achilles tendon is influenced by signal substances and may give options for new treatments of Achilles tendinosis.

Osteoporosis-related fracture is already today a major public health problem and the number of hip fractures is expected to double to 2030. Sweden has one of the highest hip fracture incidences worldwide. This may be explained by several factors: e.g. age, genetic, climatologic, geographic and a relative vitamin D deficiency, secondary to the limited sunlight exposure especially during winter months. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors contribute to a fracture, although a prior low energy fracture is one of the strongest predictors for a subsequent one and this should be a target for secondary fracture prevention in an orthopaedic setting. Since 1993 all injured patients admitted to the emergency floor and all in-hospital fractures at Umeå University Hospital, Sweden, were registered according to the Injury Data Base, former EHLASS. There were 31,173 fracture events (one or more fractures at the same time), of which 13,931 were in patients’ ≥ 50 years old. The fracture database was co analyzed with the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study cohort in a nested case-control study for investigations of associations between osteoporotic fracture and serum markers, lifestyle data, nutrition etc. We found that there were differences in fracture pattern depending on age and sex. Both injury mechanism and fracture site were strongly dependent of age. The most severe fragility fracture, hip fracture, had a decreasing incidence. However, the incidence curve was right-shifting leading to an increase, both in numbers and in incidence of hip fractures among the oldest female. To identify people at high risk for fractures, re-fracture patients are useful. No less than 21% of the fracture patients had suffered more than one fracture event, accounting for 38% of all fracture events. The total risk ratio for a subsequent fracture was 2.2 (2.1-2.3 95% CI). In males the highest risk for re fracture was in the age cohort 70-79 years (RR 2.7, 2.3-3.2 95% CI), in females > 90 years (RR 3.9, 3.2-4.8 95% CI). Another possible risk factor in this subarctic population is the lack of sunlight, leading to a vitamin D deficit. The overall adjusted risk of sustaining a hip fracture in this population was 2.7 (95%CI:1.3-5.4) in subjects with a serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D below 50 nmol/l. The association was, however, different according to age at baseline. Thus in subjects aged 60 years and above at baseline, the adjusted odds ratio of sustaining a hip fracture was 6.2 (1.2-32.5 95%CI) for the group of individuals with a serum 25OHD below 50 nmol/l, whereas no significant association was found in the youngest age group. In the next 30 years the ongoing demographic changes will accelerate. The World War II baby boomers will cause an age quake. We can already see signs heralding a new fracture pattern: an increasing cohort of mobile but fragile elderly, with considerable co-morbidity is now at risk for fragility fractures. In fracture patients, clinical information is sufficient to pinpoint patients with a high risk for re-fractures. It is therefore clinically important to use the information provided by the fracture event. We suggest that trauma units and primary care units should screen for risk factors and inform patients about the treatment options, and to organize fracture liaison services. This seems to be especially cost-efficient for our oldest and frailest patients. Secondary prophylaxis and follow-up treatment after cardiovascular disorders are now a matter of course worldwide, but the screening for risk factors, in order to prevent a second fracture, is often neglected. This is one of the most important issues of fracture care in the future in order to improve general health.

Bakgrund: Teorier i omvårdnad har beskrivits av många omvårdnadsforskare. Sjuksköterskeprofessionen är tvärvetenskaplig. Huvudämnet i sjuksköterskeutbildningen är omvårdnad och stödämnen i professionen kan vara biomedicin och folkhälsa. Det akademiska ämnet omvårdnad är professionsneutralt. En vanlig uppfattning bland sjuksköterskor är att jämställa professionen med ämnet. Detta mångvetenskapliga perspektiv har lett till att det inte finns någon klar definition om vad som är kärnan i ämnet omvårdnad. Syfte: Syftet med examensarbetet var att studera hur sjuksköterskor på en ortopedavdelning beskriver god omvårdnad. Metod: Studien gjordes på en ortopedavdelning i Sverige under 2008. Åtta sjuksköterskor deltog i studien. En kvalitativ intervju genomfördes på en ortopedavdelning. Data transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Sjuksköterskornas beskrivning av god omvårdnad sammanfattades i sju teman; smärtlindring, sjuksköterskans ansvarsområde, kommunikation, glädje, tid, teamwork och etiskt förhållningssätt. Konklusion: När sjuksköterskorna beskrev god omvårdnad utgick de ifrån deras arbetsuppgifter i sjuksköterskeprofessionen. De särskiljde inte omvårdnadskunskap från kunskaper inom stödämnen. Teorier i omvårdnad och centrala begrepp i omvårdnad var inte självklara för sjuksköterskorna. Däremot har de beskrivit delar av kärnan i omvårdnadsämnet utan att relatera till teorier i omvårdnad. / Background: Theories in nursing care has been described by several researchers. The profession is multidisciplinary. The major subject in the education for nurses is nursing care and other subjects in the profession can be biomedicine and public health. The academic subject nursing care is not bounded to the nurses’ profession. A common idea among the nurses is to see the profession as equal to the academic subject nursing care. Because of many perspectives, there is no clear definition that describes the essence of nursing care. Aim: The aim of this dissertation was to study how nurses´ describe good nursing care at an orthopaedic unit. Methods: The study was carried out in one orthopaedic unit in Sweden in 2008. Eight nurses’ took part in the study. A qualitative interview with was performed at the orthopaedic unit. Data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The nurses’ description of good nursing care was summarized in seven themes; pain management, a nurse responsibility, communication, joy, time, teamwork and ethical attitude. Conclusions: When the nurses´ described god nursing care they assumed from their tasks in the profession. They did not distinguished nursing care from the knowledge of subjects included in a nurse profession. Theories in nursing care and central concepts were not obvious for the nurses´. Although the parts of the core in nursing care has been described without relating to theories.

The initial recommendation for the postoperative regime after uncemented total hip arthroplasty (THA) was 6-12 weeks of partial weight bearing (PWB) to obtain a stable implant position during bone ingrowth. In recent years patients with uncemented THA have increasingly practiced full weight bearing (FWB) after surgery, which has largely been based on clinical experience rather than on scientific evidence. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of FWB versus PWB for 3 months on the stability of the implants and on bone mineral density (BMD), as well as body composition (BC) of the lower extremities. We used radiostereometric analysis (RSA) to measure implant micromotion and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure BMD and BC. Forty-six patients with strictly unilateral osteoarthritis of the hip (OAH) received uncemented THA. These patients were then randomized to the FWB or PWB groups and followed for 5 years. In a preoperative cross-sectional study the BMD of the hip and heel were compared between the OAH-affected side and the healthy side. The study showed an increase of BMD at the femoral neck and a decrease at the total hip and trochanter. The results of a RSA study of cup stability showed that there might be minimal movement in medial and proximal directions during the first postoperative week. These results indicate that the RSA baseline investigation of uncemented cups should be performed as early as possible after the first postoperative day. FWB had no adverse effects on the stability of the uncemented press-fit cups or the uncemented cementless Spotorno (CLS) femoral stems after a 5-year follow-up. There was no difference in periprosthetic BMD around the CLS stem regardless of the postoperative weight bearing regime. All zones around the femoral stem indicated a recovery in BMD toward baselines, except the calcar region, which showed progressive loss in BMD to -22% at 5 years post-surgery. FWB had no effect on the changes in BC after surgery. In conclusion, FWB is safe in uncemented THA in terms of stability, BMD and BC. Furthermore, THA apparently counteracts age-related changes in BC but not in BMD.

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att jämföra graden av smärta och illamående hos två patientgrupper inom ortopedi som smärtlindrades med tablett Dolcontin/Depolan/Morfin eller tablett Oxycontin/Oxynorm postoperativt dag 0, 1 och 2. Syftet var även att undersöka vilka riskfaktorer enligt Apfel Risk Score som kan påverka grad av illamående samt att undersöka om en korrelation fanns mellan preoperativ information och incidensen av postoperativt illamående och kräkning (PONV). Metod: En komparativ studie med kvantitativ ansats. Data samlades in genom två olika enkäter, varav en enkät fylldes i av patienterna och en enkät av sjuksköterskorna. 48 patienter inkluderades i studien, 24 per substans. Både kvinnor och män som genomgått elektiva knä- eller höftarteroplastikoperationer deltog i studien och de var mellan 31-77 år. Mätinstrumentet som sjuksköterskorna använde sig av för att skatta smärta och illamående var visuell analog skala (VAS). Data analyserades i Statistic Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 10.1 med x2-test, oberoende t-test samt Mann-Whitney U-test. Resultat: Resultatet i studien visade att inte fanns någon signifikant skillnad gällande smärta och de två substanserna. Det fanns en signifikant skillnad gällande illamående och de två substanserna. Inget signifikant samband påvisades mellan illamående och riskfaktorerna i Apfel Risk Score. Det fanns heller inget signifikant samband mellan incidensen av PONV och patientens upplevelse av att ha fått noggrann information preoperativt. Slutsats: Då dokumentationen av smärta och illamående enligt VAS på sjuksköterskeenkäterna var bristfällig, kan inga säkra slutsatser dras. Mer forsknings krävs således inom detta område. / Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the rating of pain and nausea in two groups of patients in orthopedics that was pain relieved with tablet Dolcontin/Depolan/Morphine or tablet Oxycontin/Oxynorm postoperative day 0, 1 and 2. The aim was also to investigate the risk factors according to Apfel Risk Score that may affect the degree of nausea and to investigate whether a correlation existed between preoperative information and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Method: A comparative study with quantitative approach. Data were collected through two different questionnaires, one that was filled out by the patients and the other questionnaire by the nurses. The study included 48 patients, 24 per substance. Both men and women, between 31-77 years old, who would undergo elective knee or hip replacement surgery, participated in the study. The measuring instrument that the nurses used to estimate the pain and nausea were visual analogue scale (VAS). Data were analyzed in the Statistic Package for the Social Science (SPSS) 10.1 with the x2-test, independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The results of the study showed that there was no significant difference regarding pain and the two compounds. There was a significant difference regarding nausea and the two compounds. No significant correlation was found between nausea and the risk factors in the Apfel Risk Score. There was no significant correlation between the incidence of PONV and patient experience of receiving accurate information preoperatively. Conclusion: As the documentation of pain and nausea according to VAS on the nursing surveys were poor, no firm conclusions can be drawn. Further studies are necessary to confirm the results of this study.

Syfte Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka genomförbarheten av en hög-intensiv träningsintervention efter knäplastikoperation samt hur knäplastikopererade personers självvalda gånghastighet, maximal vadmuskelstyrka, vadmuskeluthållighet och självupplevda symptom, smärta, ADL funktion och hälsorelaterad livskvalité påverkas av tidigt insatt hög-intensiv styrketräning av vadmuskulaturen. Metod Femton forskningspersoner randomiserades till en träningsgrupp (n=7), som utförde hemträningsprogram i form av hög-intensiv vadmuskelträning samt till en kontrollgrupp (n=8) som utförde samma rehabiliteringsprogram som träningsgruppen utan hög-intensiv vadmuskelträning. En testprocedur genomfördes 3 respektive 12 veckor efter knäplastikoperationen. Självvald gånghastighet mättes genom ett 30 meters gångtest, vadmuskeluthållighet mättes med ett standardiserat tåhävningstest på ett ben, maximal isometrisk vadmuskelstyrka mättes med hjälp av en isometrisk dynamometer och självskattad symptom, smärta, ADL funktion och livskvalité utvärderades genom Knee injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Resultat Denna studie påvisar viss problematik med följsamheten i träningsregim för båda grupperna. Båda gruppernas sammanslagna resultat uppvisade signikant förbättrad självvald gånghastighet, maximal vadmuskelstyrka och uthållighet över tid. Trots detta ökade träningsgruppen den självvalda gånghastigheten signifikant mer än kontrollgruppen över tid. Träningsgruppen hade även mindre besvär på grund av smärta 12 veckor efter operationen. Båda gruppernas sammanslagna resultat förbättrades över tid gällande deras egen skattning av symptom, smärta, ADL funktion och livskvalité. Däremot förbättrade träningsgruppen alla variabler signifikant medan det för kontrollgruppen endast var livskvalitén som förbättrades signifikant över tid. Konklusion Tidigt insatt hög-intensiv vadmuskelträning efter knäplastikoperation är genomförbart och kan ha en viss positiv effekt på personens egen upplevelse av symtom, smärta, funktion och hälsorelaterad livskvalité. Självvald gånghastighet förefaller öka mer vid tidigt insatt hög-intensiv vadmuskelträning efter nio veckors träning jämfört med samma rehabiliteringsprogram utan hög-intensiv vadmuskelträning. / Aim The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of a high-intensive exercise intervention following a knee arthroplasty, and also to evaluate possible effects on self-selected walking speed, calf muscle strength and self-rated symptoms, pain, ADL function and quality of life after high-intensive calf muscle training in an early post-operative phase. Method Fifteen participants were randomized into an exercise group (n=7), who performed a home-exercise program, consisting of high-intensive calf muscle exercise, and into a control group (n=8) who performed the same rehabilitation program but without the high-intensive calf muscle training. A test procedure was conducted after 3 and 12 weeks following the knee arthroplasty. Self-selected walking speed was measured by a 30 meter walking test, calf muscle endurance training was measured with a standardized one-leg heel-rise test, maximal isometric calf muscle strength was measured with an isometric dynamometer, and self-rated symptom, pain, ADL function and quality of life were evaluated with Knee injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Results There were problems with adherence to exercise regimes in both groups. The results of both groups demonstrated improved self-selected walking speed, calf muscle endurance and maximal isometric calf muscle strength over time. However, the exercise group increased self-selected walking speed more than the control group. The exercise group reported fewer disorders due to pain 12 weeks after surgery. The results of both groups showed improved self-rated symptoms, pain, ADL function and quality of life over time, however, the exercise group improved all these variables significantly, while the control group significantly improved the quality of life aspect. Conclusions Early initiated high-intensive calf-muscle training following a knee artroplasthy is feasible and may have positive effects on self-rated symptoms, pain, ADL function and quality of life. Also, self-selected walking speed increased more with early initiated high-intensive calf muscle training after nine weeks when compared to the same rehabilitation program without high-intensive calf muscle training.

<p>Bakgrund: Teorier i omvårdnad har beskrivits av många omvårdnadsforskare. Sjuksköterskeprofessionen är tvärvetenskaplig. Huvudämnet i sjuksköterskeutbildningen är omvårdnad och stödämnen i professionen kan vara biomedicin och folkhälsa. Det akademiska ämnet omvårdnad är professionsneutralt. En vanlig uppfattning bland sjuksköterskor är att jämställa professionen med ämnet. Detta mångvetenskapliga perspektiv har lett till att det inte finns någon klar definition om vad som är kärnan i ämnet omvårdnad. Syfte: Syftet med examensarbetet var att studera hur sjuksköterskor på en ortopedavdelning beskriver god omvårdnad. Metod: Studien gjordes på en ortopedavdelning i Sverige under 2008. Åtta sjuksköterskor deltog i studien. En kvalitativ intervju genomfördes på en ortopedavdelning. Data transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Sjuksköterskornas beskrivning av god omvårdnad sammanfattades i sju teman; smärtlindring, sjuksköterskans ansvarsområde, kommunikation, glädje, tid, teamwork och etiskt förhållningssätt. Konklusion: När sjuksköterskorna beskrev god omvårdnad utgick de ifrån deras arbetsuppgifter i sjuksköterskeprofessionen. De särskiljde inte omvårdnadskunskap från kunskaper inom stödämnen. Teorier i omvårdnad och centrala begrepp i omvårdnad var inte självklara för sjuksköterskorna. Däremot har de beskrivit delar av kärnan i omvårdnadsämnet utan att relatera till teorier i omvårdnad.</p> / <p>Background: Theories in nursing care has been described by several researchers. The profession is multidisciplinary. The major subject in the education for nurses is nursing care and other subjects in the profession can be biomedicine and public health. The academic subject nursing care is not bounded to the nurses’ profession. A common idea among the nurses is to see the profession as equal to the academic subject nursing care. Because of many perspectives, there is no clear definition that describes the essence of nursing care. Aim: The aim of this dissertation was to study how nurses´ describe good nursing care at an orthopaedic unit. Methods: The study was carried out in one orthopaedic unit in Sweden in 2008. Eight nurses’ took part in the study. A qualitative interview with was performed at the orthopaedic unit. Data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: The nurses’ description of good nursing care was summarized in seven themes; pain management, a nurse responsibility, communication, joy, time, teamwork and ethical attitude. Conclusions: When the nurses´ described god nursing care they assumed from their tasks in the profession. They did not distinguished nursing care from the knowledge of subjects included in a nurse profession. Theories in nursing care and central concepts were not obvious for the nurses´. Although the parts of the core in nursing care has been described without relating to theories.</p>

Effektivisering av sjukvården har länge varit ett omdebatterat ämne. Lång väntetid, överbelastning och personalbrist är några av problemen som sjukvården har. Ett sätt att förbättra sjukvårdens hantering av störningar är genom att implementera lean i verksamheten. Ortopedmottagningen Mölndal har likt många andra sjukhus störningar som påverkar patienterna och medarbetarna negativt. Under 2019 blev 1054 stycken operationer inplanerade för primära höft- och knäproteser, varav 951 operationer utfördes. Cirka en tredjedel av patienterna utsattes för minst en störning och 103 stycken blev inställda. De störningar som påverkade operationerna berodde bland annat på bristande informationsflöde, hög resursbeläggning och ett ineffektivt IT-system. Detta resulterade till extraarbete, bristande informationsöverföring och väntan. Detta kombinerades även med andra störningar, som resulterande i att operationer blev ombokade eller inställda. För att förbättra processerna har studiens slutsatser kommit fram till att fokus ska ligga på flödeseffektivitet för att uppnå ett dragande system, utforma ett effektivare IT-system och tydliggöra ansvarsroller för ett förbättrat informationsflöde. Andra sjukhus runt om i världen har haft liknande problem. En möjlig lösning har varit att tillämpa lean då lean visat sig vara ett framgångsrikt arbetssätt. / The need to increase the Swedish health care system has been a debated topic over the years. Long que times, overloaded workflow and shortage of staff are some of the well-known issues of today’s health care system. Multiple management methods have been demonstrated in order to increase efficiency in health care. Such a solution has been Lean management. The orthopedic hospital Mölndal has like many other hospitals interferences which ends up disturbing both the patient and the management negatively. During year 2019 occurred 1054 planned operations out of which 951 operations were executed in the process called hip- and knee prothesis. About a third of all operations received at least one form of interferences in the system. The result ended up being a total of 103 planned operations that did either got cancelled or delayed. The key factors to these interferences was insufficient communication flow, overburdening the resources and inefficient IT systems. These problems led to redoing tasks, insufficient information transfers, unnecessary waiting and other types of wastes which ended up effecting patients operations plans. In order to render the processes effective this study has come to conclusions that the hospital needs to focus and prioritize on flow efficiency in order to achieve a pulling system, designing a more efficient IT system and clarifying coworkers responsibilities in order to get a more effective information flow. Many hospitals across the globe have similar problems and one of the possible solutions is lean, which has shown excellent results, when it has been implemented in the correct way.

Syfte: Syftet med det här examenarbete är att undersöka behovet av snabbkopplingsadaptrar för protesbrukare.   Bakgrund: Snabbkopplingsadapter är en förhållandevis ny produkt som både Otto Bock och Lindhe Xtend erbjuder, men ingen forskning på behovsområdet finns ännu gjord. Fördelen med produkten är enligt leverantörernas hemsidor bl a att man med den enkelt kan byta mellan olika proteskomponenter utan att behöva skruva på några protesinställningar eller byta hylsa.   Metod: För att undersöka behovet av snabbkopplingsadaptrar utfördes semistrukturella intervjuer av fenomenologisk karaktär. En serie med sju frågor sammanställdes som intervjuunderlag, vilka togs fram utifrån de tre behovsfokusområdena: Funktion, delaktighet och livskvalité. I undersökningen ingick n=6 deltagare, varav n=3 transtibialt amputerade och n=3 transfemoralt amputerade. Insamlade data analyserades vidare för framtagning av olika teman och resultat.   Resultat: Utifrån intervjuunderlaget togs följande teman fram: Byte av protesfötter/protesknäleder, På- och avtagning av byxor, Hylspassform, Transport samt Biomekanik. Varje tema utgjorde ett eget potentiellt användningsområde, där de största behoven visade sig ligga inom temana Byte av protesfötter/protesknäleder, Hylspassform samt Transport.   Slutsats: Behovet av snabbkopplingsadaptrar är högst subjektivt, och beror snarare på deltagarens liv än några allmänna faktorer. Däremot upptäcktes ett antal tänkbara användningsområden för den. / Aim: The aim of this thesis was to investigate the necessity of the quick change adapter for lower limb amputees.   Background: Quick Change Adapter is a relatively new product that both Otto Bock and Lindhe Xtend offers, but no research has been done on the area of its necessity yet.  According to the supplier´s websites the benefits of the product is that you with it easily can change prosthetic components without affecting the alignments or change socket.   Method: To investigate the necessity of the Quick Change Adapter, semi structural interviews of phenomenological characteristic were used.  A series of seven questions were compiled as a basis for the interview from the three focus areas: Function, participation and quality of Life. The thesis involved n=6 participants, of who n=3 was trantibial amputated and n=3 transfemoral amputated. Collected data was later analysed to find general themes and results.   Results: From the interviews these themes were exposed: Changing prosthetic feet/prosthetic knee joints, Donn and doff of pants, Socket fit, Transport and Biomechanics. Each theme presented a potential application area where the biggest needs seemed to be in Changing prosthetic feet/prosthetic knee joints, Socket fit and Transport.   Conclusions: The necessity of the Quick Change Adapter turned out to be very subjective, and depended more on the participant´s life then any general factors. Still there were some potential application areas detected for it.