Epidemiology and quality of life of patients with an amputation after a burn injury

Abstract

Introduction/Background Post-burn amputations are still a major problem in our society. Although its incidence is rather low, they are an important cause of morbidity in a relatively young population. We examined the characteristics of patients with an amputation after a burn injury and described their quality of life after discharge. Material and method We made a retrospective analysis of the patients admitted in a major Burn Unit in Portugal (n = 736) with the diagnosis of burn injuries and needing amputation during hospitalization since 1/1/2012 until 31/12/2016. The variables analysed were: demographic data, clinical presentation and mortality. A questionnaire was also performed by phone call after discharge. Follow-up information was not obtained for 13 patients. Results Thirty-nine patients, who were submitted to at least one amputation, were included, 66% of which were male and with a mean age of 63.03 ± 18.4 years. The mean LOS was higher in amputee patients (30.03 ± 27.27 days vs. 17.66 ± 16.58, P≤0.001). Patients with electrical burns had a higher risk of amputation compared to remaining patients. (OR = 3.056, P = 0.040). Among the amputations, 67.5% were at the upper limb level, mainly transmetacarpal (50%). The mortality rate during hospitalization was higher in the amputee group (20.5% vs. 6.8%) (P Conclusion Amputees need special care for the problems they may have in adapting to their environment. We found that these patients had injuries mainly due to electrical burns, have longer hospital stay and higher mortality risk. However, most of the patients had a good functional recovery and are satisfied with their quality of life.