The eventual outcome of patients who had lower limb amputations due to peripheral vascular disease at Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein

Abstract

Background: Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) presenting with irreversible lower limb pathology has a high morbidity and mortality rate. This study aimed to determine the outcome of patients who underwent lower limb amputations (LLAs) because of PVD at Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein, 2008–2011.

Methods: Prospective data collection of a retrospective cohort study group was performed. Included were patients with PVD-induced LLAs. Demographic and contact information was collected from Meditech. Living status (alive or dead) was determined using the Department of Home Affairs database and interviews with relatives.

Results: Of the study population (n = 224), 119 had contact information. Data of 158 people were available to determine living status: 71.5% had died by follow-up in 2014. Forty-nine interviews were possible, 31 patients had died, with cause of death reported to be primarily vascular related. The cumulative mortality showed that 16.1% died within a month and 48.4% within one year post-amputation. Among the 18 living amputees, 50.0% became unemployed, 77.8% used wheelchairs, 11.1% used crutches and 11.1% a prosthesis.

Conclusion: Lower limb amputation due to PVD is indicative of a poor prognosis. In our study only 28.5% of patients survived 3–6 years post-amputation. Restoration to ideal mobility was achieved in a minority of cases.

Keywords:

• Bloemfontein
• lower limb amputations
• patient outcome
• peripheral vascular disease

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mrs E. Martins, research assistant at Department of Surgery, UFS, for doing the telephone interviews as well as Mr F.C. van Rooyen, Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, UFS for statistical assistance.

Ms T. Mulder, medical editor, School of Medicine, UFS is thanked for technical and editorial preparation of the manuscript.