Prevalence, Indications, Levels and Outcome Limb amputations at University Teaching Hospital-Butare in Rwanda.

ackground: Amputation is one of the oldest surgical procedures with artificial limbs identified from over 2000 years ago. Amputation is still often viewed as a failure of treatment but can be the treatment of choice and life saving procedure for severe trauma, vascular disease and tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, indications and levels of limb amputation at the University Teaching Hospital Butare (UTH-B) from 1^st January 2009 to 31^st March, 2012.
Methods: The records of 107 limb amputations performed in patients admitted at UTH-B over a period of 2 years and 3 months were reviewed.
Results: Out of 3466 operated cases in Surgery Department, there were 107 limb amputations accounting for 3.08% of all operations performed during the study period. Females accounted for 29.9% cases. The mean age was 44.7±21.5 years. The commonest indication was gangrene in 43.95% especially dry gangrene with 22.43%.The most common level was below knew amputation (BKA) with 37.38% of cases. The outcome of the 107 patients amputated: 87.9% had uneventful recovery, 7.5% were re-operated and 4.7% died.
Conclusion: The prevalence of limb amputation was 3.08% with the commonest indication as gangrenes most often secondary to peripheral vascular disease. Below knee amputation was the most performed procedure. The majority (87.9%) of the patients had uneventful recovery. The postoperative mortality rate was 4.7%.