title: Ten-year clinical analysis of diabetic leg amputees.
abstract: The clinical characteristics of 234 amputees admitted to the National Taiwan University Hospital during a 10-year period were analyzed. Diabetes mellitus accounted for 37.2% (87 cases) of the amputations and was the most commonly associated disease. Malignancy was the second cause of amputation (16.2%). Traffic accidents and atherosclerosis (without diabetes mellitus) each accounted for about 13% of the amputations. Below-knee amputation was the most commonly performed procedure among the diabetics, while above-knee, below-knee and ray amputations were roughly equally performed among non-diabetic patients. Reamputations were done in 16 diabetic and 12 non-diabetic patients, mostly within a short period of time after the first amputation. Four of the diabetic reamputations and nine of the non-diabetic reamputations were performed on the same side as the first amputation. The mean +/- standard error of admission days and total expenses for each episode of amputation were 36.2 +/- 2.7 days and 116.5 +/- 1.7 thousand New Taiwan dollars for the non-diabetics and 41.3 +/- 4.0 days and 134.0 +/- 16.0 thousand New Taiwan dollars for the diabetics, respectively. We concluded that: 1) diabetes mellitus was the main cause of amputation; 2) diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher rate of reamputations of the contralateral legs; and 3) a multidisciplinary foot-care team is essential for the management of lower leg amputations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, R.O.C.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012086:Reoperation; D013624:Taiwan; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000150:complications