[20218434]
I received an otto block c-leg around the first of this year. It did not feel right and did not act to the specs in the users guide. I reported this to the prosthetist and he advised me "you don't know what you are doing. Keep wearing it. Then around march, the knee completely locked up. I returned the prosthetic device to company. The device was returned to the manufacturer. It was reported that a servo was bad and shorted the battery causing the problem. In the mean time i tried to contact otto block directly by email and got a response from a mfr's rep, and she advised me the problem was between the prosthetist and you. "your knee -- your problem". How can a foreign country based company do business like this in the u. S.? I received the c-leg back and it still did not want to act right. The knee collapsed on me, causing me to almost fall, spilling hot coffee on myself. On the second occasion, the knee caused me to almost fall down a flite of stairs. I reported this to the prosthetist and he advised me to return it, and i did as requested. I was advised the hydraulics went out and the knee returned. The knee became unstable again and did not function properly. I also tried to contact co's rep twice. Calls were not returned. I tried to call mfr direct and was given a runaround. Is this how these companies can operate? The knee failed for the third time. I returned it to the prosthetics company and requested a refund. I was advised no! By the prosthetist. What he advised was basically "otto block or wheelchair!! No inbetween!! I have been fighting with this for eight months now without resolve. The prosthetic company has my prosthetic leg and the accessories. I think otto block is behind this. I am finding out that prosthetics are not regulated as far as safety goes. How does a company get to put a product on the market without properly training not only the prosthetist, but therapist as well. Then update training every year. Medical professional must go through continuous training every year. How is this group left out? These companies are refusing to give out general information. How can they get away with this? Please check and advise.
Patient Sequence No: 1, Text Type: D, B5