Manufacture and clinical application of the forearm pronation’s assistant tableware in extremely severe mass burn patients

Abstract Introduction Even after reconstructive surgery, it is still difficult for patients with extremely severe mass burn to achieve independent eating activity. In this research project, we customized the forearm pronation’s assistant tableware to help them improve the eating activities. Methods From January 2017 to December 2018, 28 patients with extremely severe mass burn were recruited. For the patient's independent eating activities, we customized forearm pronation’s tableware (forks and spoons). To compare the eating item of the modified Barthel index (MBI) and Visual analogue scale(VAS) of the satisfaction, when the patients did not wear the auxiliary tableware, or wore the ADL universal cuff, or wore the forearm pronation’s tableware; to compare the duration and the weight of food spilled during lunch when the patients wore the ADL universal cuff or the forearm pronation’s tableware. Differences in MBI’s eating item (rank data) were tested by the Friedman test, differences in VAS (normal distribution) were tested by the One-way ANOVA (Bonferroni) test, differences in the duration and the weight (normal distribution data) were tested by paired sample t test. Results After wearing the forearm pronation’s assistant tableware, the quartile of the MBI’s eating item and the score of VAS both increased more than when the patients did not wear the auxiliary tableware(all P＜0.05). when the patients wore the forearm pronation’s tableware, the duration of lunch significantly decreased and the quality of eating activity significantly improved compared to the ADL universal cuff in eating activity (all P＜0.05). Conclusion After wearing the forearm pronation‘s assistant tableware, the patients with extremely severe mass burns could completely or almost completely independent eating, the duration was decreased, during eating activity the quality and the satisfaction were improved. Clinical trial registration Chinese Clinical trial registry, ChiCTR1800019963.