Study of Vascular Amputations At Kenyatta National Hospital
Abstract
This is a study of 120 vascular amputation patients
operated on between January, 1981 and January, 1988
at Kenyatta National Hospital. Sixty-six (66)
patients (55%) were amputated following trauma to
the limbs. Twenty-three (23) patients (19.17%) were
amput ated due to arterioscleros is of the lower limbs
with ischaemic complications. Sixteen (16) patients
(13.33%) had confirmed diabetes mellitus with diabetic
ischaemic angiopathy. In seven patients (5.83%),
investigations were incomplete and t he cause of ischaemia
necessitating amputation was undetermined. There were
two (2) patients (1.69%) who had confirmed venous gangrene.
One patient developed lower limb gangrene following a
snake-bite. Another patient developed gangrene of the
toes while undergoing treatment for septic abc r tit.on ,
Amputation due to complicating vasculitis was observed
in one patient with a chronic leg ulcer. Lastly, one
patient developed gangrene of the lower limb after
intramuscular injection in the anterior part of the
thigh by a quack doctor. Of all the amputations done
during the period of study at Kenyatta National Hospital
62.5% were vascular amputations. Sixt y-six (66)
traumatic vascular amputations studied formed only 1.2%
of a total of 5,500 patients who had trauma to the
limbs during the period of study. The male to female
ratio of the vascular amputees was 3: 1. The youngest
patient was 4 years old and the oldest 84 years.
There were a total of 80 (70.31%) lower limb amputation
stumps and 33 (29.69%) upper limb amputations stumps.
The overall mortality was 4.17%.
Citation
Degree of Master of MedicinePublisher
University of Nairobi Department of Medicine