title: Factors influencing rehabilitation of arteriosclerotic lower limb amputees.
abstract: This survey considered 598 arteriosclerotic amputees over a period of 9 years: 267 below-knee; 81 Gritti-Stokes; 195 above-knee; and 55 double amputees. A walking ability index (WAI) ranging from 1 for a normal gait to 6 for inability to walk was determined for these amputees by clinical grading at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after prosthesis fitting. Amputees with the below-knee operation had better WAI at 3 and more months than those with either Gritti-Stokes or above-knee operations. There was no statistical evidence for a difference between Gritti-Stokes and above-knee operations at any time of assessment of WAI. The 50-59 year-old age group had significantly better WAI at 6, 9, and 12 months than did the 60-69 or 70+ age group, but the 60-69 year-old group was not significantly different from the 70+ age group. On an average, the 78 amputees (14 percent) with ischemic heart disease had a poorer WAI at 6 and more months than did those without it; the 46 amputees (8 percent) with hemiplegia were worse at 12 months than those without hemiplegia; and the 15 amputees (11 percent) with bronchitis were worse at 12 months than those without bronchitis. Double amputees had poorer WAIs at 12 months than those of single amputees.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Surgery, University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Siriwardena
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Bertrand
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000592:standards; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000592:standards*