Below-knee amputation in patients with vascular disease and prosthetic fitting problems.
A study was made of 544 cases with lower limb deficiencies caused by obliterative diseases; 262 cases were below-knee amputees. Of these, 106 (40%) were amputees transferred from other clinics for prosthetic fitting; in 156 cases (60%) the amputations were performed in the Institute. Amputations were carried out using one of two techniques according to the state of arterial and collateral circulation. The posterior flap below-knee amputation (Burgess, 1969) was employed in 94 cases, the other 62 amputations were carried out using a modification of that technique which was characterized by the formation of a musculo-fascia-cutaneous flap. The stump wound healed by first intention in 127 patients (81.4%), by second intention in 18 (11.5%) and in 11 cases (7.1%) the wounds failed to heal. Successful prosthetic fitting and walking training was achieved in 91.3% of amputees and 67.2% were returned to productive work.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D014945:Wound Healing