Scottish Physiotherapy Amputee Research Group (SPARG) Report

 

Data below is for Scotland in 2019. The total number of amputations is at it’s lowest since 2012 at 766, of which 691 have data.

 

 

Age & Sex of amputee population:        

Since 1999 the median age has decreased from 71 to 67.

Average Age	67
Males %	71.5
Females %	28.5

 

More than half of all patients in 2019 had an amputation associated with Diabetes.

Cause of Amputation:	N	%
PAD without Diabetes	227	31
Diabetes	385	52.5
Trauma or Burns	23	3.1
Tumour	7	1
Congenital Deformity	1	0.1
Drug Abuse	9	1.2
Venous Disease	8	1.1
Orthopaedic	25	3.4
Orthopaedic – non union	15	2
Orthopaedic Failed Joint	2	0.3
Orthopaedic Acquired Deformity	3	0.4
Blood-Borne Infection	18	2.5
Renal Failure	5	0.7
CRPS	12	1.6
Acute Vascular Injury	8	1.1
Total	733	100

 

Initial level of amputation:	N	%
Transtibial	440	60
Transfermoral	277	37.8
Transpelvic	2	0.3
Hip Disarticulation	4	0.5
Knee Disarticulation	7	1
Ankle Disarticulation	3	0.4
Other	0	0
Not recorded	0	0
Total	733	100

 

Patients fitted with a prosthesis:
Number of Patients	691
Number Fitted	284
Percentage Fitted	41.3

 

The proportion of patients (all levels) fitted with a prosthesis in 2019 is 41.3%. When examined by level, 65.4% of transtibial (TTA) and 18.1% of transfemoral (TFA) were fitted.  People with bilateral below knee amputations report significantly better mobility outcomes than unilateral above knee.

The number of those abandoning prosthetic use during the rehabilitation period fluctuates from year to year (3.9% in 2019). Of these 27 patients, 4.3% were unilateral TTA (n=14), 4.8% unilateral TFA (n=14) and 2.1% were bilateral of varying levels (n=3).