Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients amputated in the General Hospital of Ciego de Ávila

Abstract

Introduction: amputation is the oldest surgical procedure and worldwide is a health problem with high frequency of complications.

Objective: to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with amputated lower extremities.

Method: a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of 145 patients with major and minor amputations admitted during the 2014-2015 period in the General Provincial Teaching Hospital of Ciego de Ávila.

Results: the majority of patients were over 60 years old and male. High blood pressure, smoking habit and metabolic decontrol were the main risk factors identified. Major and mutilating amputations predominated. The local complications with greater frequency of presentation were: the hematoma, the ischemia of the wound, and the sepsis; in the general complications: bronchopneumonia, myocardial infarction and anemia.

Conclusions: the peripheral arterial disease and the diabetic foot are the diseases with greater index of major and minor amputations, the total disability is the main problem for the patients. Inadequate control of risk factors, and local and general complications frequently occur