[Prosthetic management of the elderly following amputation of the lower extremities]

We report on 162 patients with one- or two-sided amputations above the ankle joint. Seventy-nine percent of these patients were candidates for artificial limbs; substantial differences are shown in respect to the height of the amputation: there are considerably more patients who can use a prosthesis after a lower leg amputation than after one- or two-sided upper leg amputation. Counterindications for prostheses were, on the whole, principally arterial scleroses. As expected, almost 95% of the one-side amputees, and approximately 100% of the (considerably younger) both-side amputees were discharged from hospital with a degree of self-sufficiency. Some of the patients not provided with an artificial limb were able to return home as well (87.5%). Absolute independence was seldom reached and social assistance had to be arranged for many amputees.