Purpose: We reviewed major amputations of the lower limbs in geriatric patients.
Material and method: This retrospective study was conducted in patient treated between January 1990 and December 1999. A total of 265 amputations in 209 patients, including 24 revisions and 32 bilateral amputations, were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were the major nature of the amputation requiring prosthetic fitting and patient age (greater than 65 years).
Results: The incidence of amputation in our geriatric population was 4 per 10 000. Mean age at amputation was 78 ± 7.5 years. Mean follow-up was 27.8 months. Tibial amputations predominated (123/264, 46.4%). Aetiology factors were basically diabetes mellitus (99/209, 47.4%), and atherosclerosis (85/209, 40.7%). Overall survival at one year was 61.7%, 47.9% at two years and 13.7% at ten years. Survival was better for tibial amputations (p = 0.023). Analysis of 12 comorbiditties revealed that amputated patients had significantly higher mortality when they also had heart failure (p = 0.001), dialysis (p = 0.001), rhythm disorders (p = 0.003), dementia (p = 0.008). Rhythm disorders (p = 0.01) and dementia (p = à.02) usually predicted a femoral level of amputation. The number of surgical revisions required for amputation at a higher level was 9.1% (24/265). Amputations of the contralateral limb were required in 34/209 patients (16.3%) after a mean delay of 19.7 months. Half of our patients were fitted with a prosthesis (53.6%, 112/209).
Discussion: We did not find any predominant aetiological factors by level of amputation. Statistical analysis demonstrated that survival depended on the low level of the amputation. Preservation of the knee was an important factor not only for rehabilitation but also for mortality. Survival after femoral amputation and after desarticulation of the knee was the same. Prosthesis fitting was difficult at the femoral level. Mortality depends on four basic comorbidities, heart failure, dialysis, rhythm disorders and dementia. Addition of comorbidities for a given patient has a significant effect and is not compatible with survival greater than five years.
