title: An epidemiological and etiological report on lower extremity amputation in northwest of iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower extremity amputation has different etiologies and the purpose of the study was to describe the demographics and etiologies of amputations. This study was designed to evaluate amputations performed in the province of Eastern Azerbaijan (north-west of Iran) and to determine specific causes of amputations associated with geographical and cultural characteristics of the region.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have done this retrospective and descriptive study from June 1st, 2005 to June 1st, 2010 in Tabriz Shohada Hospital (Tabriz, Iran). The patients were evaluated with respect to age, sex, etiology, side and level of amputations, prevalence of amputations among the sexes at different ages and surgical interventions performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred-sixty files were identified with a diagnosis of lower limb amputation. Trauma was the most frequent cause in 67 patients (46%), followed by vascular disease in 61 patients (42%), and then infection in 18 c patients (12%). Eighty percent of patients were male and 20% were female.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This investigation shows that trauma (especially due to car accidents) is the most common cause of amputations in our region, followed by vascular problems.
authors.affiliation: Alireza Rouhani MD, Saeid Mohajerzadeh MD, Department of Orthopedic Surgery School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rouhani
authors.affiliation: Alireza Rouhani MD, Saeid Mohajerzadeh MD, Department of Orthopedic Surgery School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohajerzadeh
keywords: Amputation; Extremity; Iran