Tropical Doctor > Volume 39, Number 3 > Pp. 129-132

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Review

Amputation surgery in children: an analysis of frequency and cause of early wound problems

L N Banza MBChB MCS (ECSA)   ^*     N C Mkandawire MCh FRCS       W J Harrison MA FRCS   ^* 

^* Department of Surgery, Beit Cure International Hospital, POB 31236, Blantyre 3, Blantyre +265; Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Box 95, Blantyre 3, Blantyre +265; College of Medicine, Blantyre, Malawi

Correspondence to: Leonard Banza, Department of Surgery, Beit Cure International Hospital, POB 31236, Blantyre 3, Blantyre +265, Malawi Email: leon_bza{at}yahoo.com

Amputation surgery in children is a relatively uncommon procedure. The objective of our study was to determine the incidence of complications in this type of surgery as well as any related factors. The results of our retrospective study of children aged between one and 18 years, over a five-year period were collected and analysed. The most frequent indications for amputation were congenital limb deformities (60%). Trauma, tumours, infection and other rare conditions were less common.

Results also revealed that in our hospital the wound infection rate was 38 %, the wound breakdown rate was 11 % and the general wound sepsis rate was around 1%. More complications were observed following through-knee amputation. We had noticed fewer complications (25%) when the surgery was performed by a consultant than when it was performed by a junior trainee (66%).

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