The effect of amputation level and age on outcome: an analysis of 135 amputees

In this retrospective study, the impact of age, amputation level and the cause of amputation were examined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Medicare K scores of amputees with unilateral lower-limb amputation.

In total, 135 patients with unilateral transfemoral (TF) or (TT) transtibial amputations were examined. All data were collected using questionnaires that were either self-administered or administered during an interview. The HADS was developed as a self-reporting questionnaire to detect adverse anxiety and depressive status. K code is used to describe the functional abilities of amputees.

The mean age at the time of surgery was 52.79 ± 13.08 years. The mean time since amputation was 59.20 ± 24.41 months for TT, and 60.89 ± 22.09 months for TF amputation. The HADS-A scores of the transfemoral amputation group were determined as significantly high compared to those of the transtibial group (p < 0.05). The K index of the group aged 35 years and below was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p 0.002, p 0.001, p < 0.01).

The data show higher HADS-A scores with traumatic transfemoral amputation. Therefore, adequate psychiatric evaluation and rehabilitation should be applied to all amputees, especially in cases of young, traumatic, transfemoral amputations.

Level 3, retrospective comparative cohort study.