Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric lower extremity amputation and functional rehabilitation / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children's lower extremity amputation and amputation rehabilitation, and to explain the causes of children's amputation and the complications after amputation. MethodsFrom January, 2016 to March, 2021, 51 amputation related children were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation between the cause of amputation and complications post amputation were analyzed. ResultsTraumatic amputations accounted for 58.82%, and the main cause was traffic accidents (70%). Amputations caused by diseases accounted for 41.18%, and the main cause was congenital limb deformities (80.95%). Traumatic amputation was more likely to have stump complications than expected (P < 0.05). The possibility of stump complications after disease-specific amputation was lower than expected (P < 0.05). ConclusionTraffic trauma is the main cause of amputation in children and is characterized clinically by a high incidence of unsatisfactory stumps, mainly due to soft tissue abnormalities, and most cases require stump revision to improve the poor residuals for prosthetic restoration of ambulation. Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia is the main cause of disease-specific amputation, and the outcome of amputation often cannot be definitely avoided even after long-term limb preservation treatment.