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Nineteenth century amputations at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
1Vascular Unit, Department of Surgery, Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, UK. robert.galland@rbbh-tr.nhs.uk
Insights
19th-century amputations at Royal Berkshire Hospital primarily affected men and boys, with trauma being the main cause. Despite higher mortality for trauma cases, survival rates were acceptable for selected patients.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Surgical Procedures
- Public Health
Background:
- 19th-century surgical practices, particularly amputations, were common.
- Understanding historical amputation trends provides context for modern surgical outcomes.
Observation:
- A retrospective analysis of 276 amputations performed at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in the 19th century was conducted.
- The majority of amputations (86%) were performed on men and boys, with a median age of 33 years.
- Leg amputations were twice as common as arm amputations (2:1 ratio).
Findings:
- Trauma was the leading indication for amputation, accounting for 58% of cases, significantly higher for arm amputations (42/52) than leg amputations (37/110).
- Mortality rates were higher for amputations due to trauma (P < 0.01) and leg amputations (16%) compared to disease and arm amputations (3.8%), respectively.
- The death rate following compound fracture amputations was 23%.
Implications:
- The patient demographic and indications for amputation in the 19th century differed significantly from contemporary practices.
- Despite the challenges of 19th-century medicine, selected patients undergoing amputation could achieve acceptable survival rates.
Aim:
To describe 19th century amputations carried out at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of hospital archives.
Results:
Details of 276 amputations were analysed. The majority (86%) were in men and boys. The median age was 33 years. The ratio of leg:arm amputation was 2:1. Trauma accounted for 58% of amputations. Of 52 arm amputations, 42 were due to trauma, compared with 37 of 110 leg amputations (P < 0.001). Mortality was higher following amputation for trauma than for disease (P < 0.01). Mortality following leg amputation was 16% compared with 3.8% after arm amputation (P < 0.05). Death rate following compound fracture was 23%.
Conclusions:
Compared with today, the population undergoing amputation and the indications for amputation in the 19th century differ significantly. However, it is apparent that in those patients who were selected to undergo amputation acceptable survival figures could be achieved.
