Open AccessEffect of primary and secondary wartime below-knee amputation on length of hospitalization and rehabilitation
Author(s) -
Slavica Jandrić,
Brano Topic
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
vojnosanitetski pregled
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.123
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 2406-0720
pISSN - 0042-8450
DOI - 10.2298/vsp0203261j
Subject(s) - amputation , medicine , rehabilitation , prosthesis , surgery , lower limb , artificial limbs , physical therapy
The results of below-knee amputations in 36 war wounded (mean age 35.42) were reviewed. The majority of the patients was wounded by land mines (94.4%). Most of them were between 25 and 35 years old. Bilateral amputation was done in 2.8% of cases. The amputation was performed on the day of wounding (primary below-knee amputation) in 30 (83.3%) amputees. Secondary amputation after the attempt to save the severely injured lower-limb was performed in 6 patients (16.7%) average 4.61 +/- 11.67 days after wounding. Reamputation was necessary in 6 cases (16.7%). Time period from the beginning of rehabilitation to the fitting of prosthesis, was 36.25 +/- 14.97 days for primary amputations, 32 +/- 17.8 days for secondary amputations and 68.66 +/- 33.52 days for reamputations. There was no significant correlation between the duration of rehabilitation to prosthetic management and the period between wounding and amputation (r = -0.102). The attempt to save the limb after severe below-knee injuries and the secondary amputation afterwards, did not significantly influence the ensuing rehabilitation and prosthetic works.