Table 2. Percent of Patients who Underwent Amputation and Limb Salvage with Wound, Physical, and Psychological Health Complications.
Injury Characteristics | Early Amputation | Late Amputation | Limb Salvage |
---|---|---|---|
n = 440 | n = 78 | n = 107 | |
Wound complications | |||
Infection | 75%† | 82%‡ | 63%†,‡ |
Osteomyelitis | 35%* | 53%*,‡ | 36%‡ |
Nonunion Fractures | 10%*,† | 44%* | 35%† |
Non-healing Wounds | 12%* | 24%* | 19% |
DVT/PE | 16% | 17% | 18% |
Physical Health Complications | |||
Any Pain-related | 92% | 99% | 93% |
Musculoskeletal | 98% | 99% | 100% |
Late Effects—Musculoskeletal Injuries | 34%*,† | 65%*,‡ | 48%†,‡ |
Osteoarthritis | 10%*,† | 21%* | 21%† |
Osteoporosis | 16%† | 8% | 2%† |
Hypertension | 15% | 14% | 9% |
Lumbago | 48% | 56%‡ | 36%‡ |
Psychological Complications | |||
Any Mental Health | 89% | 89% | 82% |
PTSD | 49% | 58% | 51% |
Anxiety | 40%* | 54%* | 40% |
Mood | 39%* | 55%*,‡ | 36%‡ |
Adjustment | 46% | 53% | 43% |
Substance Abuse | 21%* | 31%* | 27% |
Differences between unilateral groups (p < 0.05 chi-square or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate) were *early amputation versus late amputation, †early amputation versus limb salvage, and ‡late amputation versus limb salvage.
PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder, DVT/PE = deep vessel thrombosis/pulmonary embolism.