LOWER-LIMB AMPUTATIONS

The current epidemiological situation with regard to lower-limb amputa tions in southern Finland was analysed for the year 1989. Lower-limb a mputations were performed on 268 patients. The amputation rate was 22. 0 per 100,000 inhabitants, and the mean age of amputees was 70 years. Peripheral vascular disease was the main reason for amputation (79 %). The most common level of amputation was above-knee (49 %) followed by below-knee (29 %). Two thirds (64 %) of the patients lived over one y ear, and half (53 %) over two years after the amputation. In the group of patients undergoing unilateral amputation and surviving over two m onths, 26 % of the above-knee and 63 % of the below-knee amputation pa tients received a prosthesis. The (average) time lag between surgery a nd fitting the prosthesis was 97 days. Incidence and mortality were de creased after 1985. The rate of prosthesis fitting was still low but t he time lag between surgery and prosthetic fitting had decreased.