Background: Patients who undergo transfemoral amputation after infection of a total knee arthroplasty do not have good functional outcomes and have major difficulty walking.
Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life and walking ability among patients who underwent amputation and among those who refused to undergo amputation following infection of a total knee arthroplasty.
Study design: Retrospective case series.
Methods: Patients who received an indication for amputation following an infection of a total knee arthroplasty were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided between those who accepted the amputation procedure and those who refused amputation (four amputee vs four non-amputees). Walking ability and quality of life were evaluated using the Short Form-36 questionnaire.
Results: The average physical health was 27.4 for the amputees and 31.3 for the non-amputees. The average mental health was 49.9 for the amputees and 47.1 for the non-amputees. In relation to walking ability, only one (25%) of the amputees was able to walk, as opposed to 100% in the non-amputee groups.
Conclusion: Twenty-five percent of the amputee patients continued to be able to walk. The functional outcome of non-amputee patients was better, with 100% being able to walk, though with limitations.
Clinical relevance: This is the first study evaluating patients who refused the amputation procedure and remained with the spacer. Despite the fact that this option is not recommended by the medical community, we believe that these data are useful when discussing, with a patient, quality of life after amputation.
Keywords: Amputee; arthroplasty; knee infection; walking aid.
© The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.