Abstract

FARRO, Luis et al. Clinical and demographic features of patients undergoing limb amputation. Rev Med Hered [online]. 2012, vol.23, n.4, pp.240-243. ISSN 1018-130X.

Objective: To determine the clinical and demographic features of patients undergoing limb amputation in a Rehabilitation Institute in Lima-Callao. Methods: A Retrospective and descriptive study was performed reviewing clinical charts of 570 patients who attended the Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación "Adriana Rebaza Flores" between 2002 and 2007. Results: Mean age was 43.1 ± 21.55 years (range: 1-93); 74% were males. Extremely poor and poor socio-economic status was found in 82.5%; 46.8% came from Lima or Callao. The most frequent limb involved was the lower limbs (78.1%) and the most frequent level of amputation was above the knee (53.9%): Non-traumatic causes (54.7%) and diabetic angiopathy (42.3%) were the most frequent reasons for amputation. A significant association was found between non-traumatic reasons for amputation, amputation above the knee and age above 40 years and living in Lima-Callao (p<0.01). Traumatic reason for amputation was more common in people ≤ 40 years of age (p<0.001). Conclusions: Most of limb amputations occurred in lower limbs caused mainly by diabetic angiopathy; non-traumatic reasons were most frequent in people above 40 years, while traumatic amputations predominated in people below 40 years of age.

Keywords : Amputation; poverty; Diabetes Mellitus.

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