Care of elderly lower limb amputees, as described in medical and nursing records.

The aim of this study was to characterize elderly lower limb amputees and explore problems/requirements inherent in their care. A retrospective study of medical and nursing records of patients who had undergone lower limb amputation (LLA) at Uddevalla General Hospital in 1997 was conducted. Demographic data were compared with those from a comparable regional health care district. Hospitalization, rehabilitation and nursing-related data related to subjects alive after 6 months were compared with data concerning those deceased during hospital stay and within 6 months after amputation. During the defined period, the study population consisted of 45 patients aged 60 and above. Fifty-six percent were men, with a mean age of 81.6. Eight patients died in the hospital post-amputation and five died within 6 months of surgery. The aetiology of the diagnosis leading to the LLA was cardiovascular disease in the majority of cases. The most common amputation level was below the knee. LLA patients were reported to have major problems maintaining physical and mental functions, markedly deteriorated general health status and severe pain problems. LLA patients require well functioning and qualified care and rehabilitation. The patients surviving after 6 months had permanent problems in the area of nutrition, elimination, skin ulceration, sleep, pain and pain alleviation. The patients who died during the hospital stay had problems in all these areas. With increasing shorter stays in hospital and decreasing resources in primary and municipal care, there is a risk that these patients' needs and requirements for professional care might be underestimated and thus remain unfulfilled.