title: The relationship between diabetic amputees and vascular reviews.
abstract: This paper reviews the data in the literature pertaining to risk factors for amputation in the diabetic population, and describes a retrospective study to assess the vascular and other assessments carried out on a sample of 50 diabetic patients undergoing minor (toe and foot) and major (below-knee and above-knee) amputations. The study found that 50% of the patients did not have Doppler studies, 52% did not have angiography, and 78% did not have angioplasty. Major amputations were performed in 76% of the sample. This is an unacceptably high figure. Thorough vascular assessments need to be performed in an attempt to save lower limbs from potential amputation.
authors.affiliation: Boston Health Clinic, Lincolnshire, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bardwell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olczak
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin