Characteristics and outcomes of traumatic major extremity amputations in Chinese population

Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of amputations caused by trauma in Chinese civilians and provide a reference for clinical work. Methods: A retrospective study of all major extremity amputations in Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University sustained by Chinese civilians from January 2009 to December 2013 was conducted. Data from the medical record system were queried to obtain injury characteristics, demographic information, and treatment characteristics. Results: In total, 71,569 trauma patients who sustained 651 amputations (668 extremities) were identified, with a 0.91% traumatic amputation rate; 238 of these 668 extremities underwent upper extremity amputation. The patients who underwent amputations (n = 651) ranged in age from 10 months to 77 years; most were aged 41 to 50 years. Of these 651 patients, 525 (80.65%) were male. Upper extremity amputations were mainly caused by machinery injuries (171/235, 72.77%), while lower extremity amputations were mainly caused by traffic accidents (297/433, 70.67%). Of all 651 patients, 614 sustained open injuries, and only 37 sustained closed injuries. Of the 668 extremities among the 651 patients, 528 extremities underwent closed amputation and 140 underwent open amputation requiring secondary debridement to close the wound. Conclusion: The overall rate of traumatic major extremity amputation among Chinese civilians of Hebei province was 0.91%. This detailed epidemiological description will be helpful for clinical prevention and treatment.