One-year mortality rates after minor and major amputations of the lower limbs

Critical limb ischemia is the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease. The anatomic and clinical severity of the disease is often heterogeneous and the choice of treatment is affected by different clinical and patient-related factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the mortality rate in a period of 1 year following minor and major amputations and compare the rates with that related to major amputation of lower limbs in 2005.

A cross-sectional study evaluated minor and major amputations of the lower limbs at the School Hospital affiliated with the São Jose do Rio Preto School of Medicine in the period from July 2018 to July 2019. It was conducted using the charts of 233 patients who had undergone minor and major amputations of the lower limbs.

The 1-year mortality rate was analyzed among 108 patients submitted to minor amputations and the mortality rate of 80 patients submitted to major amputations in 2019 was compared to that among 50 patients submitted to major amputations in 2005.

Significant 1-year mortality rates were found following minor and major amputations, with a higher rate among patients submitted to the latter procedure. Moreover, there has been no reduction in the mortality rate among patients submitted to major amputation in the past 15 years.