Trauma-related major lower limb amputations: an epidemiologic study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Trauma Surgery
• Public Health Epidemiology

Background:

• Traumatic lower limb amputations represent a significant surgical outcome.
• Understanding long-term trends and patient demographics is crucial for resource allocation and preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the trends, demographics, and outcomes of major lower limb amputations resulting from trauma in Denmark between 1978 and 1990.
• To identify factors influencing amputation rates and in-hospital mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of national data on lower limb amputations.
• Statistical examination of amputation numbers, patient demographics (age, sex), amputation levels, hospital stay, discharge destination, and mortality.
• Correlation analysis with population density and regional variations.

Main Results:

• Annual traumatic lower limb amputations averaged 70 cases (1.4 per 100,000 population) with a mean patient age of 49.4 years.
• Transtibial and above-knee amputations constituted approximately 80% of cases. A notable increase in through-knee amputations was observed.
• In-hospital mortality was associated with sex, amputation level, and patient age. Regional variations and a positive correlation with population density were identified.

Conclusions:

• Traumatic lower limb amputations in Denmark showed a consistent incidence from 1978-1990, with specific demographic and regional patterns.
• Amputation level and patient factors significantly impacted in-hospital mortality, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
• The findings underscore the importance of population density and geographic factors in trauma-related amputation rates.