title: Factors affecting healing of below knee amputation.
abstract: Between January and December 1992, 54 diabetic patients with 60 below knee amputations performed in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery O, Singapore General Hospital were available for evaluation. The average follow-up period was 16.3 months with a range of 13 to 24 months. Five patients had stump necrosis and above knee amputation was performed. Eight patients had partial stump necrosis and required debridement with or without secondary procedures. The other patients had uneventful stump healing which was defined as healing of the stump wound without complications and remained intact for at least 6 months after surgery. Absence of popliteal pulse, presence of central cardiovascular disease and absence of intraoperative skin flap bleeding were found to be associated with higher incidence of stump necrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery O, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology