title: Vascular surgery reduces the frequency of lower limb major amputations.
abstract: In June 1988 a Department of Vascular Surgery was established in the county of Viborg, Denmark. In this retrospective study of the periods 1986-87 and 1989-90, we have observed a significant rise in the number of patients evaluated by a vascular surgeon before amputation, from 19 to 49%. At the same time the number of major lower limb amputations significantly decreased. This reduction was most marked in 1990 probably due to a rise of 43% in the number of distal reconstructions. The distribution between below knee, through knee and mid-thigh amputation was unaffected by the increased vascular surgical activity. The frequency of major amputations in the county in 1986-87 of 40.9 per 100,000 per year declined by 25% to 30.9 per 100,000 per year in 1989-90. We conclude that vascular surgery reduces the number of major lower limb amputations and consequently all patients threatened with amputation must be evaluated if vascular reconstruction is possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Hospital of Skive, Denmark.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lindholt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bøvling
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fasting
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Henneberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures