PRE AND POST-AMPUTATION MOBILITY OF TRANS-TIBIAL AMPUTEES - CORRELATION TO MEDICAL PROBLEMS, AGE AND MORTALITY

This retrospective study compares pre and post-amputation mobility and the influence of age and associated medical problems. Data from the c harts of 120 male patients who underwent unilateral trans-tibial (belo w-knee) amputation at the Dallas Veteran's Administration Hospital bet ween June, 1983 and October, 1991, were collected and analyzed. Mobili ty was assessed with a six level scale developed by Volpicelli et al. (1983). The presence of cardiac disease, pulmonary disease (COPD), per ipheral vascular disease (PVD), diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease, blindness, cerebral vascular accident (CVA), and age are corr elated with changes in mobility after amputation. Older patients had m ore medical problems and lower post-amputation scores. Individual medi cal problems did not influence mobility scores, but the presence of CO PD and PVD lowered pre-amputation mobility scores. Cardiac disease and diabetes mellitus influenced post-amputation mobility scores by lower ing them, either together or individually. Regardless of age, however, patients with more medical problems were poor ambulators. The cause o f amputation per se did not influence mobility scores.