title: Lower limb amputation. 1: indications and treatment.
abstract: Lower limb amputation is performed predominantly to alleviate acute and chronic limb ischaemia caused by vascular disease, poorly controlled diabetes or, occasionally, infection. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of chronic arterial ischaemia and the most common reason for amputation. The vascular nurse has an important role in reducing the need for amputation, by providing information on health promotion and illness prevention to patients with vascular insufficiency to halt progression to amputation. This is the first of four articles focusing on lower limb amputation. It examines the indications for lower limb amputation in detail, and briefly outlines other treatment options including revascularization techniques.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Donohue
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D003663:Decision Trees; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D018579:Patient Selection