THE REASONS FOR AMPUTATIONS IN CHILDREN (0-18 YEARS) IN A DEVELOPING-COUNTRY

This study describes 49 young amputees who either have attended or hav e been operated at the Orthopaedic Department of Dodoma Regional Hospi tal from 1983 to 1991. Emphasis has been put on the aetiological facto rs of 56 amputations under review, underlying those that are typical o f the Least Developed Countries in Africa and highlighting how they in terrelate with the beliefs and traditions of the African society. Apar t from 14 amputations performed for trauma of different type, importan t roles were played by home environment, tumours, wild animal bites an d the health system itself. Nine amputations have been carried out for burns, while complications after medical care, particularly operative , have called for 12 amputations. Bone tumours have been responsible f or eight and hyena assaults and snake bites have resulted in seven amp utations. Special interest has been raised by four amputations perform ed for the so-called 'idiopathic tropical lower limbs gangrene' whose aetiology is still unknown.