Evaluation of amputations with respect to etiology, level, and age groups

Abstract

Objectives: Amputations performed at our clinic were evaluated with respect to etiology, amputation level, and age distribution.
Patients and methods: Between May 1995 and May 2003, 286 extremity amputations of 269 patients (211 males, 58 females; mean age 41 years; range 6 months to 90 years) were retrospectively evaluated with respect to age and gender of the patients, and side, etiology, and amputation level.
Results: The mean age was 42 years in males, and 40 years in females. Of 286 amputations, 136 (50.6%) were on the right, 116 (43.1%) were on the left, and 17 patients (6.3%) had amputations in two extremities. The major causes of amputations were trauma in 114 cases (n=121, 42.4%), diabetes in 65 cases (n=70, 24.2%), and peripheral vascular disease in 59 cases (n=63, 21.9%). The number of amputations due to trauma was significantly higher than that due to diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, and patients in this group were younger than those with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease (mean age 26.4±15.6 years vs 56.2±12.5 years; p<0.001). Amputations involving the lower extremity were significantly more than those in the upper extremity (203, 71.0% vs 83, 29.0%; p<0.001). In terms of amputation level, partial foot amputations were the greatest in number (n=82, 28.7%), followed by partial hand amputations (n=62, 21.7%). Reamputations to elevate the amputation level were performed in 4.1% (5/121), 25.7% (18/70) and 17.5% (11/63) after amputations due to trauma, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease, respectively.
Conclusion: Improvements to be made in the causes of amputations will lower the incidence of amputations.