Distal Blood Pressure Measurement in Lower-Limb Amputees

Reamputation above the knee after failure of primary below-knee amputation was related to the distal blood pressure. With pressures of 20, 30 and 40 mmHg, two-thirds, one-third and one-seventh, respectively, of the below-knee amputations required reamputation above the knee.     

Muscle transposition and skin grafting for salvage of below-knee amputation level after bilateral lower extremity thermal injury

Thermal injury to the lower extremity sometimes necessitates amputation around the knee joint. Knee function is so critical to prosthetic rehabilitation that every attempt should be made to salvage the knee joint. This report presents an unusual case of bilateral lower extremity flame burn requiring amputations. While the distal two-thirds of the legs and both feet were totally necrotic, the thermal damage was limited to skin and subcutaneous tissue sparing muscle and bone in the proximal one-third of the legs and posterior thighs. The below-knee amputation level was salvaged by muscle transposition over the anterior tibia and resurfacing of muscle cuffs with thick split-thickness skin grafts. The post-operative period was uneventful. Amputation stumps tolerated the below-knee prosthesis well and the patient attained independent functional prosthetic ambulation at the post-operative fourth month. It is known from the reconstruction of the plantar foot that skin-grafted muscle tissue tolerates weight bearing and shearing forces well. This principle can also be used for salvage aspects of the below-knee amputation level.     

Distal blood pressure measurement in lower-limb amputees

Reamputation above the knee after failure of primary below-knee amputation was related to the distal blood pressure. With pressures of 20, 30 and 40 mmHg, two-thirds, one-third and one-seventh, respectively, of the below-knee amputations required reamputation above the knee.     

Fibular Resection in Delayed Union of Tibial Fractures

Ischaemic gangrene of the foot in a patient previously fitted with an arthroplasty of the knee (Guépar) was treated with below-knee amputation. The endoprosthesis was retained and the patient was fitted with a modified PTB prosthesis. The functional result is satisfactory.     

Traumatic near amputation secondary to hippopotamus attack: lessons for surgeons

A 34-y-old man presented to Naivasha District Hospital (NDH) in Naivasha Town, Kenya, with near-complete below-knee amputation and hemorrhage after a hippopotamus attack. Residents from the University of Washington (UW), Departments of Surgery, Anesthesia, and Medicine, were rotating at NDH with the Clinical Education Partnership Initiative, a joint venture of UW and University of Nairobi. These providers met the patient in the operating theater. The leg was mangled with severely traumatized soft tissues and tibia–fibula fractures. The visiting UW Surgery resident (R3) and an NDH medical officer (second-year house officer) performed emergency below-knee completion amputation—the first time either had performed this operation. The three major vessel groups were identified and ligated. Sufficient gastrocnemius and soleus were preserved for future stump construction. The wound was washed out, packed with betadine-soaked gauze, and wrapped in an elasticized bandage. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were initiated. Unfortunately, the patient suffered infection and was revised above the knee. After a prolonged course, the patient recovered well and was discharged home. NDH house officers and UW trainees collaborated successfully in an emergency and conducted the postoperative care of a patient with a serious and challenging injury. Their experience highlights the importance of preparedness, command of surgical basics, humility, learning from mistakes, the expertise of others, a digitally connected surgical community, and the role of surgery in global health. These lessons will be increasingly pertinent as surgical training programs create opportunities for their residents to work in developing countries; many of these lessons are equally applicable to surgical practice in the developed world.     

Primary closure of below-knee amputation stumps: A prospective study of sixty-two cases

Between January 1, 1985, and December 31, 1988, we prospectively studied the outcome of 62 consecutive below-knee amputations with primary closure in 56 patients. There were 35 men and 21 women; mean age was 70 years. Above-knee amputation was performed for occlusion of the profunda femoris artery, acute thrombosis of a popliteal aneurysm with inadequate sural artery vascularity, intractable knee flexion contracture, suspended ischemia, and occasionally, when ischemia was found intraoperatively to extend proximally during below-knee amputation. Bedridden patients deemed unfit for prosthetic devices were also candidates for above-knee amputation. Fifty-four lower extremities (87%) were gangrenous and rest pain was present in eight patients (13%). Twenty-nine limbs (47%) were amputated primarily, 33 (53%) after failure of one or more revascularization procedures. Six patients had bilateral amputation. Forty patients (71%) were diabetic. Mean hospital stay was five days. Fifteen patients (27%) died during a mean follow-up period of 29 months. Eleven stumps (17.5%) required reoperation: five for postoperative infection, four for wound breakdown after a fall, and two for secondary abscess. Three secondary above-knee amputations (5%) were necessary. Of 44 below-knee amputations in diabetic patients, one had to be revised at the level of the thigh. Of 33 amputations after revascularization failure, one secondary above-knee amputation was necessary. Restoration of preischemic status was achieved after a mean of 58 days. Upon patient discharge from a rehabilitation center, 44 stumps (81%) were suitable to be fitted with prostheses. Compared with the open-stump technique, primary closure of below-knee amputation stumps reduces healing time without an increased reoperation rate. Hospitalization is short and reestablishment of patient autonomy is rapid.Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Société de Chirurgie Vasculaire de Langue Française, Strasbourg, France, June 23–27, 1989.     

Radioisotope Washout Technique as a Routine Method for Selection of Amputation Level

In 36 amputations of the lower extremity the local skin perfusion pressure was measured preoperatively by an isotope washout technique. The result served as a guidance in the selection of amputation level. An overall healing rate of 94 per cent was found with 64 per cent of the amputations being below the knee. Thus, the isotope washout technique, used routinely, gives a reliable preoperative assessment of the chances of wound healing following below-knee and above-knee amputations.     

‘TRASH FOOT’ FOLLOWING OPERATIONS INVOLVING THE ABDOMINAL AORTA

Background : Acute lower limb ischaemia following aortic surgery is commonly termed ‘trash foot’. The exact cause of the ischaemia is unknown, but it has been attributed to athero-emboli from native arteries, thrombo-emboli from any prosthetic graft or thrombosis of small vessels in the distal arterial tree. Methods : Review of 1601 aortic reconstructions performed between 1976 and 1995. Results : ‘Trash foot’ occurred in 32 patients (44 limbs): 23 cases followed aortic aneurysm repair and nine cases followed an aorto-femoral bypass for occlusive disease. Six cases of ‘trash foot’ (13.6%) underwent an early amputation (one above-knee, two below-knee and three cases of amputation of one or more toes) while a further nine cases (20.5%) underwent a delayed amputation (four above the knee, two below the knee and three cases of toe amputation). Eight patients (25%) with ‘trash foot’ died within 30 days of surgery. Conclusion : ‘Trash foot’ following aortic surgery is an unwelcome complication that is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Attempts to reduce the incidence involve early mobilization and clamping of the iliac arteries, and irrigation of the aortic anastomosis and graft with heparin saline solution.     

Total knee arthroplasty in a below-knee amputee

We present the case of a 75-year-old woman who, following a below-knee amputation, developed worsening osteoarthritis of her knee in the same limb. A total knee replacement was subsequently performed in the amputated limb. The patient successfully mobilized following the procedure and remained pain-free on review after 8 months. The Knee Society score improved from 53 to 85, and the function score increased from 0 to 40. Modifications to the standard technique of total knee arthroplasty used in this case and the postoperative rehabilitation methods are described. Total knee replacement should be considered as an alternative option to arthrodesis or above-knee amputation in a below-knee amputee with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee.     

Level Selection in Leg Amputation for Arterial Occlusive Disease: A Comparison of Clinical Evaluation and Skin Perfusion Pressure

In 102 leg amputations for arterial occlusion including 84 below-knee (BK), 16 above-knee (AK) and 2 through-knee (TK) amputations, the amputation level was determined by means of clinical criteria. The healing results and the selection of levels were then compared with sealed preoperative measurements of the skin perfusion pressure (SPP). Out of 62 BK amputations with an SPP above 30 mmHg wound healing failed in only 2 cases (3 per cent). Out of 13 BK amputations with an SPP between 20 and 30 mmHg 7 cases (54 per cent) failed and out of 9 BK amputations with an SPP below 20 mmHg no less than 8 cases (89 per cent) failed to heal. The difference in failure rate is significant (P < 0.0001). Out of the 15 failed BK amputations at low pressures (below 30 mmHg) only one case had local signs of ischaemia, which might have warned the surgeons. On the other hand, in 13 out of the 18 cases of primary AK (or TK) amputations there were clinical signs of ischaemia of the calf, comprising temperature demarcation, cyanosis and/or necrotic skin lesion. The SPP below the knee appeared in all these cases to lie below 30 mmHg. In the 5 other cases of primary AK (or TK) amputation the knee was sacrificed for reasons other than signs of local ischaemia, e.g. poor physical or mental condition. It was moreover found that the presence of pulsations in the popliteal artery indicated an 89 per cent chance of healing of BK amputations. Infection was present in 24 BK amputations (28 per cent) and equally frequent among diabetic and non-diabetic cases. The postoperative SPP measured on the stumps averaged only 5 mmHg (P <0.05) higher than the preoperative SPP explaining why the preoperative SPP related closely to the postoperative course. It is concluded that ischaemia at the BK election site cannot be ruled out by clinical assessment alone and that preoperative determination of the SPP can be used in determining the chance of healing in BK amputations.     

Outcomes of a contemporary amputation series

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of a contemporary amputation series. METHODS: A retrospective audit of 87 cases of major lower limb amputation from January 2000 to December 2002 from the Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, was conducted. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 70.1 +/- 14.3 years; the male : female ratio was 3.35:1. Comorbid problems included diabetes (49.4%), smoking (81.6%), hypertension (77.0%), ischaemic heart disease (58.6%), stroke (25.3%), raised creatinine level (34.5%) and chronic airway limitation (25.3%). Preamputation vascular reconstructive procedures were common, 34.5% in a previous admission and 23.0% in the same admission. The main indication was critical limb ischaemia (75.9%) followed by diabetic infection (17.2%). There were 51 below-knee (58.6%), 5 through-knee (5.7%) and 31 above-knee (35.6%.) amputations. The below-knee amputation to above-knee amputation ratio was 1.65:1. The overall wound infection rate was 26.4%; the infection rates for below-knee (29.4%) and above-knee (22.6%) amputation did not differ significantly (P = 0.58). Revision rates were 17.6% for below-knee, 20% for through-knee and none for above-knee amputations. Twenty patients (23.0%) underwent subsequent contralateral amputation. Thirty-nine patients (44.8%) were selected as suitable for a prosthesis by a rehabilitation physician; 31 (79.5%) used the prosthesis both indoors and outdoors and 6 (15.4%) used it indoors only within 3 months. Cumulative mortality at 30 days, 6 months, 12 months and 24 months was 10.1, 28.7, 43.1 and 51.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This series agrees with the current published work in finding that patients undergoing major lower limb amputation are older, with a high prevalence of comorbid conditions. Successful prosthesis rehabilitation depends on patient selection and a multidisciplinary approach. Despite a low immediate mortality, the overall long-term results of lower limb amputation remain dismal.     

Turn-up bone flap for lengthening the below-knee amputation stump

When amputation just below the knee becomes necessary after extensive loss of bone from the tibia and of anterior soft tissue in the treatment of tumours, fractures or infection, the remaining proximal tibia may be too short for a below-knee prosthesis, although the knee may be normal. We have included the distal tibia or foot in a long posterior flap by turning it up thus increasing the length of a very short proximal tibial stump. The knee is thereby saved, allowing satisfactory use of a below-knee prosthesis. This technique is particularly applicable when the distal leg is normal and well vascularised. Five procedures have been undertaken. We present two illustrative cases.     

Through-Knee Amputations

The operative technique of through-knee amputations is described. In a retrospective series of 71 patients re-amputation at the above-knee level was performed in 18 per cent of the cases. Prosthetic gait was achieved in 97 per cent of patients discharged to their own home with preserved level of amputation.

Through-knee amputation is preferable to amputation above the knee and should even be considered as an alternative to below-knee amputation in patients with borderline skin perfusion blood pressure and in feeble patients with poor balance.     

Through-Knee Amputations

The operative technique of through-knee amputations is described. In a retrospective series of 71 patients re-amputation at the above-knee level was performed in 18 per cent of the cases. Prosthetic gait was achieved in 97 per cent of patients discharged to their own home with preserved level of amputation.

Through-knee amputation is preferable to amputation above the knee and should even be considered as an alternative to below-knee amputation in patients with borderline skin perfusion blood pressure and in feeble patients with poor balance.     

A prospective randomized comparison of healing in Gritti-Stokes and through-knee amputations.

Twenty-two patients with a median age of 79 years had 24 amputations about knee joint level. The patients were randomised to undergo either Gritti-Stokes or through-knee amputations. In two-thirds of limbs transcutaneous oxygen was less than 4.65 KPa (35 mmHg) or there were no audible Doppler signals at the ankle, indicating that a below-knee amputation would have been at risk of failing to heal, and in the remainder an amputation at the knee joint was considered the preferable site for a variety of reasons. Nine of 12 (75%) Gritti-Stokes amputations underwent uncomplicated primary healing compared with only 2 of 12 (17%) through-knee procedures (P = 0.04). Two through-knee amputations required revision to above the knee (17%) while all Gritti-Stokes amputations healed. Three patients in each group became mobile on a prosthesis, the remainder being bilateral amputees or unable to manage an artificial limb.     

Long posterior flap versus equal sagittal flaps in below-knee amputation for ischaemia

We analysed the complication rate in 140 below-knee amputations in relation to surgical technique and the presence of diabetes. In all cases, the skin perfusion pressure was measured below the knee before operation to provide an objective evaluation of the microcirculation. In diabetic patients we found a significantly higher complication rate after using a long posterior flap than after equal sagittal flaps. No such difference could be demonstrated in non-diabetic patients. We suggest that the higher incidence of atherosclerotic lesions in the three major arteries below the knee in diabetic patients may account for the difference. We recommend the use of the sagittal technique for below-knee amputation in diabetic patients.     

Thoracodorsal artery perforator (TAP) flap reconstruction of a soft-tissue defect of the knee following below-knee amputation

Soft-tissue coverage of lower extremity defects with thin, sensate, mobile, and durable soft tissue is challenging. Reconstructive options are further limited in the setting of a below-knee amputation. The authors present the first report of an innervated thoracodorsal artery perforator (TAP) flap for coverage of an anterior knee soft-tissue defect in a patient with bilateral below-knee amputations following disseminated meningococcemia. The soft-tissue defect measured 11 x 17 cm2 centered over the patella, and the TAP flap provided adequate pedicle length, with optimal soft-tissue thickness and pliability with the potential for innervation and minimal donor-site morbidity. Six months postoperatively, the patient is ambulating well with prostheses fitted over her well-healed, stable, knee coverage.     

Clinical results of femoropopliteal bypass using externally supported (EXS) Dacron grafts: with a comparison of above- and below-knee anastomosis

As of the end of September 1989, 52 EXS Dacron grafts had been implanted for femoropopliteal bypass operations. The distal ends of 27 grafts were anastomosed to above-knee popliteal arteries and those of 25 grafts to below-knee popliteal arteries. The cumulative patency rate of above-knee grafts was 71.3% at 54 months, and that of below-knee grafts was 78.8% at 48 months (n.s.). Kinking and stenosis of the arteriosclerotic proximal and/or mid popliteal artery when the knee was bent were angiographically remarkable. These changes may explain why some femoropopliteal grafts occlude with time and why the late results of above-knee grafts are not much better than those of below-knee grafts.     

Knieendoprothetik beim Unterschenkelamputierten

We present the case of a 62-year-old man with posttraumatic osteoarthritis after a tibial head fracture. A below-knee amputation of the same limb had been performed years ago because of a chronic diabetic foot ulcus. The patient underwent total knee replacement, and the 2-year postoperative clinical outcome was very good. The problem of how to address missing anatomic reference points for the implantation of the tibial component in below-knee amputees and the question whether navigation offers a potential benefit in this situation are discused.     

Color-flow duplex scanning for the surveillance and diagnosis of acute deep venous thrombosis.

Compared with conventional duplex imaging, color-flow scanning facilitates the identification of veins (especially below the knee), decreases the need to assess Doppler flow patterns and venous compressibility, and allows veins to be surveyed longitudinally. These advantages translate into a less demanding and time-consuming examination. This study was designed to determine the accuracy of color-flow scanning for detecting acute deep venous thrombosis in patients in whom the diagnosis is clinically suspected and in asymptomatic patients at high risk for developing postoperative deep venous thrombosis. The diagnostic group included 77 limbs of 75 patients, and the surveillance group included 190 limbs of 99 patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement. All patients were prospectively examined with color-flow scanning and phlebography. In the diagnostic group, the incidence of thrombi in below-knee veins (47%) was approximately equal to that in above-knee veins (43%); but in the surveillance group, the incidence of thrombi in below-knee veins (41%) far exceeded that in veins above the-knee (3%). Nonocclusive clots and clots isolated to a single venous segment were more common in the surveillance group. In symptomatic patients, color-flow scanning was 100% sensitive and 98% specific above the knee and 94% sensitive and 75% specific below the knee. In the surveillance group, color-flow scanning was significantly (p less than 0.001) less sensitive (55%) for detecting thrombi, 93% of which were confined to the tibioperoneal veins. Negative predictive values were 100% and 88% for the diagnostic and surveillance limbs, respectively. Positive predictive values were 80% for the diagnostic limbs and 89% for the surveillance limbs. Color-flow scanning effectively excludes above-knee deep venous thrombosis in symptomatic patients and asymptomatic high-risk patients and predicts the presence of above-knee thrombi in patients in the diagnostic group with reasonable accuracy (97%). We conclude that color-flow scanning is as accurate as conventional duplex imaging and, because of its advantages, is the noninvasive method of choice for evaluating patients with suspected deep venous thrombosis. Its role in the surveillance of patients at high risk remains to be determined and awaits further clinical evaluation.