Prevention of Disabilities in Patients with Leprosy: A Practical Guide

A practical guide to the many simple things that can be done - by health workers and patients alike - to prevent the development of disabilities in patients with leprosy. Addressed to peripheral health personnel, the manual concentrates on the various conditions leading to disability and deformity that can be arrested if action is taken at an early stage. To this end, readers are given extensive practical information on the signs to look for, the questions to ask, and the tests to perform in order to recognize these conditions at the earliest possible stage and take appropriate action. Preventive measures described consist of simple treatments, devices, exercises, and behavioral changes that are easy and inexpensive as well as highly effective. Details range from step-by-step instructions for preparing a finger splint from plastic tubing, through simple tests for determining when leg muscles are weakened, to illustrated exercises that patients can perform at home. Throughout the book, numerous tables, charts, checklists, and some 100 illustrations are used to help readers absorb information and acquire the full range of skills. The core of the manual consists of chapters focused on the specific actions needed to prevent disability and deformity in patients with insensitive hands and feet and to preserve nerve function. Each richly illustrated chapter provides detailed information on the assessment of patients, the recognition of normal and abnormal conditions, the assignment of risk status, and the specifics of management.