Patient and Geographical Disparities in Functional Outcomes After Major Lower Limb Amputation in Australia

Abstract

Major lower limb amputations are associated with considerable disability, low quality of life, and poor rates of returning to work, all of which are often attributed to the poor level of functional mobility that amputees experience postoperatively. This study aimed to quantify ambulatory outcomes after major lower limb amputation and identify potential prognostic factors for patients most likely to achieve ambulation and prosthesis use, with the hypothesis that variation in outcomes correlates to age, level of amputation, and place of residence at the time of amputation. This retrospective cohort study identified functional outcomes for patients who had lower limb amputations between 2012 and 2020. Patients were identified from the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM)-coded state-wide government-maintained hospital administrative data by procedure codes for lower limb amputation. The primary outcomes were ambulation at the time of discharge from acute hospital stay, discharge destination, and prosthesis use. Variables for adjustment included patient age, comorbidity, level of amputation, and place of residence. Three-hundred and seventeen amputations were performed in 269 patients. Most procedures were transtibial amputations (56.4%) and for ischemic/infective indications (84%). Thirty-seven percent of patients were ambulating independently at the time of discharge and 55.9% demonstrated independent mobility with prosthesis at follow-up. Ambulation at the time of discharge predicted patients who were more likely to return home rather than residential or hospital care (odds ratio [OR] 1.8 95%; confidence interval [CI] 1.0-3.2). Patients with transtibial amputation were more likely to achieve prosthesis use than transfemoral (OR 4.4, 95% CI 2.1-9.5), after adjusting for age, comorbidity, and geographical factors. Mobility and prosthesis use was lowest in patients who were older, had transfemoral amputations, and resided in regional or rural areas. The significant outcome disparities identified in this cohort study highlight the need for targeted quality interventions aimed at improving functional outcomes for patients undergoing major amputation for peripheral artery disease.