Epidemiology of lower-extremity amputations at a second-level hospital in Copperbelt Province, Zambia: A retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background: While the epidemiology of major limb loss has been largely studied in the Western world, reports on the causes of amputations in developing countries are sparse and discordant. This led us to perform a study on the epidemiology of major lower-extremity amputations at our facility.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a database of lower-extremity amputations seen at a second-level hospital over a 12-year period. Both traumatic and nontraumatic amputations were included in this study. The data focused on patients’ demographics, causative factors, and level of amputation.

Results: A total of 55 patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.75:1, met the inclusion criteria. Peripheral arterial disease was the leading cause of major lower-limb amputations (n=23), outnumbering cases of complicated diabetic foot infections (n=14); a combination of these conditions occurred in 7 patients.

Conclusions: This study revealed important differences in epidemiological factors for lower-limb amputations in comparison with the available literature from developing nations. Further research is needed to understand the role of different aetiopathological processes that contribute to the higher risk of limb loss in resource-limited settings.