The plight of the traumatic amputee

This retrospective review of the long-term problems of patients with lower extremity amputation from trauma fails to support the opinion that most traumatic amputees do well. Overall, anatomic problems involved 51% of the amputees, and social problems involved 56%. Attempting limb salvage with subsequent secondary amputation did not seem to compromise the long-term outcome for these problems. The surgeon performing the amputation should try to obtain the best possible stump and insure that the patient gets the careful follow up and multidisciplinary team support needed to manage the anticipated problems.