Rehabilitation after bilateral lower extremity amputation.

Fourty-four men (average age, 61.5 years) who had undergone amputation of both lower extremities were studied at a Veterans Administration hospital. Vascular insufficiency was the most frequent reason for amputation. In 26 of the patients bilateral below-knee amputations had been performed. Although diabetes mellitus was present in 26 of the patients, it severely hampered rehabilitation in only four. Twenty-nine (nearly 65%) of the 44 patients became totally independent in daily functions. However, the average time required for maximum rehabilitation was almost 30 weeks.