[Evaluation of patients with below knee amputation with respect to postoperative prosthesis fitting]

A follow-up of 78 patients who underwent amputations just below the knee at Herlev University Hospital in the county of Copenhagen during the period 1985-88 is reported. The examination was carried out at an average of 39 months later. There was a high early mortality postoperatively as well as in the subsequent years. Of the survivors, about 87% were found to be candidates for prosthetic fitting. Nearly all of these patients became functional ambulators. The long-term survival rate was primarily correlated to a reduced occurrence of concurrent medical diseases, especially of cardiovascular nature. All women with diabetes mellitus were deceased at the time of examination. This is a well-known phenomenon, relating diabetes with a six times higher mortality risk. The study indicates that the effort and expense of fitting and training patients with prostheses may be well worthwhile.