Clinical Versus Doppler Based Assessment in Determining Amputation Level in Diabetic Foot Gangrene;A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study at Atbuth, Bauchi

Background: Amputation is defined as the surgical removal of a limb or part of a limb through the bone. If the amputation is done above or below the knee, they are termed major while minor amputations involve the partial removal of foot including forefoot resections, ray amputation of the digits or parts of the digits. Significant number of patients with diabetic foot ulcers end with amputations. In the past the amputation level was decided by clinical assessment alone, such as physical examination using color, temperature, peripheral pulses and wound bleeding during surgical procedure. The use of Doppler ultrasound to measure arterial blood pressure at the proposed amputation site has been advocated as a predictor of amputation success. An optimal choice of the level of amputation can reduce amputation complications. Methodology: A Prospective comparative randomized cross-sectional study carried out between 1st January 2022 and 1st January 2024 in ATBUTH, Bauchi amongst patients with diabetic foot Wagener stage IV and V scheduled for amputation. Outcome measures of wound break down, flap necrosis and re-amputation were assessed amongst the clinical based level assessment group and the doppler based level assessment group. Results: A total of 171 patients were recruited into the study. Males 103 and 68 are females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. mean age 47 years. There were 84 patients in the clinical based level assessment group and 87 patients in the doppler based level assessment. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus foot disease is a significant risk factor for non-traumatic lower limb amputation and doppler level assessment is superior to clinical level in determining amputation level among diabetic patients scheduled for amputation. P-value 0.003.

Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Amputation among Diabetic Patients with Diabetic Foot Gangrene in ATBUTH, Bauchi

Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk factors for the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with diabetic foot syndrome.

Prevalence and risk factors of wound complications after transtibial amputation in patients with diabetic foot

BACKGROUND Diabetic foot(DMF)complications are common and are increasing in incidence.Risk factors related to wound complications are yet to be established after transtibial amputation under the diagnosis of DMF infection.AIM To analyze the prognosis and risk factors related to wound complications after transtibial amputation in patients with diabetes.METHODS This retrospective cohort study included seventy-two patients with DMF complications who underwent transtibial amputation between April 2014 and March 2023.The groups were categorized based on the occurrence of wound complications,and we compared demographic data between the complication group and the non-complication group to analyze risk factors.Moreover,a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors.RESULTS The average follow-up period was 36.2 months.Among the 72 cases,31(43.1%)had wound complications.Of these,12 cases(16.7%)received further treatment,such as debridement,soft tissue stump revision,and re-amputation at the proximal level.In a group that required further management due to wound complications after transtibial amputation,the hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c)level was 9.32,while the other group that did not require any treatment had a 7.54 HbA1c level.The prevalence of a history of kidney transplantation with wound complications after transtibial amputation surgery in DMF patients was significantly greater than in cases without wound complications(P=0.02).Other factors did not show significant differences.CONCLUSION Approximately 43.1%of the patients with transtibial amputation surgery experienced wound complications,and 16.7%required additional surgical treatment.High HbA1c levels and kidney transplant history are risk factors for postoperative wound complications.

Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome resulted in amputation: A case report

BACKGROUND Jaffe-Campanacci syndrome(JCS)is a very rare syndrome.The treatment of JCS is more conservative,and most authors recommend that no surgery should be done in asymptomatic patients.The conventional concept holds that the natural course of non-ossifying fibromas(NOFs)grows with the development of bones,and the osteolytic region gradually stops expanding and self-healing through bone ossifying around the lesion and ossification within the lesion.But in this case,the bone lesions were potentially biologically aggressive,which led to severe limb deformities and pain.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a 5-year-old girl with JCS presenting with not only NOF sand café-au-lait macules,but also showed features not mentioned before,severe limb pain,and at last resulted in amputation.She was admitted to our hospital after presenting with claudication and mild pain over her right thigh,which worsened when stretching or being touched.Skin examination revealed multiple café-au-lait macules on the neck,arm,axilla,and torso,including the nipples and perineum.Radiographs revealed multiple lytic lesions in the proximal part of the right humerus,distal part of the right clavicle,proximal and distal parts of the right femur,and proximal parts of the right tibia and fibula.Curettage and biopsy were performed on the distal part of the right femur.At the age of 7,the girl was re-admitted to our hospital for a pathological fracture in the middle in the right femur and underwent Intralesional excision,internal fixation,bone grafting,and spica casting.At the age of 10,the girl came to our hospital again for severe pain of the right leg.Amputation from the middle level of the right femur was performed.We present the case of a 5-year-old girl with JCS presenting with not only NOFs and café-au-lait macules,but also showed features not mentioned before,severe limb pain,and at last resulted in amputation.She was admitted to our hospital after presenting with claudication and mild pain over her right thigh,which worsened when stretching or being touched.Skin examination revealed multiple café-au-lait macules on the neck,arm,armpit,and torso,including the nipples and perineum.Radiographs revealed multiple lytic lesions in the proximal part of the right humerus,distal part of the right clavicle,proximal and distal parts of the right femur,and proximal parts of the right tibia and fibula.Curettage and biopsy were performed on the distal part of the right femur.At the age of 7,the girl was re-admitted to our hospital for a pathological fracture in the middle in the right femur and underwent Intralesional excision,internal fixation,bone grafting,and spica casting.At the age of 10,the girl came to our hospital again for severe pain of the right leg.Amputation from the middle level of the right femur was performed.CONCLUSION In our opinion,education on preventing pathological fractures and explaining the consequent serious consequences to the parents is a matter of prime significance.At the same time,prophylactic treatment(restricted exercise,support,or surgery)is also considerable for JSC.

Troubleshooting a Difficult Trans-Tibial/Fibula Amputation: A Case Report

Necrotic feet secondary to vascular compromise in the diabetic patient may require an emergent guillotine amputation. Unrecognized, retained hardware in a distal ankle years after fracture repair may complicate the intraoperative guillotine amputation at the transtibial/fibula level. Troubleshooting such an unexpected surgical problem is not necessarily straightforward depending on the clinical situation. Presented is a case report where a patient with a necrotic burned foot failed to inform the burn team that he had implanted ankle hardware, prior to his surgical intervention. A successful amputation was completed after proceeding down a specific algorithm devised for such a scenario.

Optic nerve sheath diameters in nontraumatic brain injury:A scoping review and role in the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND Neuromonitoring in medical intensive care units is challenging as most patients are unfit for invasive intracranial pressure(ICP)modalities or unstable to transport for imaging.Ultrasonography-based optic nerve sheath diameter(ONSD)is an attractive option as it is reliable,repeatable and easily performed at the bedside.It has been sufficiently validated in traumatic brain injury(TBI)to be incorporated into the guidelines.However,currently the data for non-TBI patients is inconsistent for a scientific recommendation to be made.AIM To compile the existing evidence for understanding the scope of ONSD in measuring ICP in adult non-traumatic neuro-critical patients.METHODS PubMed,Google Scholar and research citation analysis databases were searched for studies in adult patients with non-traumatic causes of raised ICP.Studies from 2010 to 2024 in English languages were included.RESULTS We found 37 articles relevant to our search.The cutoff for ONSD in predicting ICP varied from 4.1 to 6.3 mm.Most of the articles used cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure followed by raised ICP on computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging as the comparator parameter.ONSD was also found to be a reliable outcome measure in cases of acute ischaemic stroke,intracerebral bleeding and intracranial infection.However,ONSD is of doubtful utility in septic metabolic encephalopathy,dysnatremias and aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage.CONCLUSION ONSD is a useful tool for the diagnosis of raised ICP in non-traumatic neuro-critically ill patients and may also have a role in the prognostication of a subset of patients.

Lower limb amputation rehabilitation status in India: A review

Rehabilitation of lower limb amputation in developing countries is quite challenging.Though there are basic to highly advanced prostheses available in India,the set-up is still facing difficulties in developing countries.Prosthetic management is difficult due to lack of availability of prostheses and reduced affordability among low income populations.In this review we highlighted the lower limb amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation status in India.Currently,India is advancing well in the rehabilitation field,but further studies are required to provide more evidence and recommendation.

Amputation in diabetic foot ulcer:A treatment dilemma

Diabetic foot is a clinical manifestation of diabetes with a wide range of symptoms,including ulceration,osteomyelitis,osteoarticular destruction,and gangrene,as a consequence of advanced disease.Some diabetic foot cases present general indications for amputation,including dead limb,threat to the patient’s life,pain,loss of function,or nuisance.Various tools have been introduced to help decision-making in amputation for diabetic foot.However,it remains a conundrum because diabetic foot involves multiple pathomechanisms and factors that hinder its outcomes.Sociocultural issues often impede treatment from the patient’s side.We reviewed different perspectives in diabetic foot management,particularly related to amputation.In addition to deciding whether to amputate,physicians should address amputation level,timing,and ways to avoid patient deconditioning.Surgeons should not be autocratic in these circumstances and should be aware of beneficence and maleficence when considering whether to amputate.The main goal should be improving the patients’quality of life rather than preserving the limb as much as possible.

Preemptive targeted muscle reinnervation:the single incision approach should be avoided in trans‑tibial traumatic amputation

Dear Editor,Chronic pain is a significant concern after major lower limb amputations that often preclude prosthetic fitting,decrease ambulation,and impact the quality of life[1,2].In the last decade,targeted muscle reinnervation(TMR)has been proposed as a surgical strategy for treating or preventing symptomatic neuromas and phantomlimb phenomena in major amputees[1].This technique involves the transfer of an amputated mixed-motor and sensory nerve to a nearby recipient motor nerve[1,2].Unlike most surgical strategies that aim to hide or protect the neuroma,TMR gives the amputated nerves“somewhere to go and something to do”[2].In a randomized clinical trial on neuroma and phantom pain,Dumanian et al.[1]demonstrated that TMR reduces amputationrelated chronic pain at 1-year post-intervention when compared with the excision and muscle-burying technique,which remains the current gold standard.Valerio et al.[2]also proposed applying TMR at the time of major limb amputation for preventing chronic pain and found that TMR patients experienced less residual limb pain(RLP)and phantom limb pain(PLP)when compared with untreated amputee controls.

Traumatic Penile Amputation Post Circumcision: A Series of 3 Cases

Circumcision remains a frequently performed surgical procedure and could be associated with various complications, ranging from mild to catastrophic. Penile amputation is a rare and severe complication usually complex and challenging to manage. We describe three cases of penile amputation injuries following circumcision referred within a week at the urological service of the Yaoundé Central Hospital. The first case was a 5-year-old who had complete penile amputation during circumcision by a nurse assistant at a rural health center. The second was a 7-year-old boy who sustained total penile glans amputation while undergoing circumcision by a nurse under local anesthesia at a rural health facility. The third involved a 6-year-old who had total penile amputation with loss of the amputated stump during circumcision by a traditional practitioner at home. Non-microsurgical penile re-implantations were done with diverse outcomes. The preservation of the amputated stump, the ischemic time and the severity of injury are factors affecting surgical outcome. The aim of this study is to evaluate our management experience and outcome of penile amputation injuries in resource-limited settings. Microsurgical replantation remains the gold standard in the management of penile amputation injuries. However, in resource-limited settings macroscopic replantation could be used as an alternative remedy to salvage the amputated penis.

Partial Amputation of the Penis with Total Rupture of the Urethra: About a Case in the Urology Department of the Bonamoussadi District Medical Center

Penis amputations are rare, they are most often observed in a criminal context or in the context of self-mutilation. We present the case of a partial amputation of the shaft in the context of a domestic accident. This is a 53-year-old patient received in the emergency department for partial amputation of the penis occurred, whose mechanism of occurrence would be the fall of a sheet metal from the roof of his house, with reception on the proximal end of the shaft leading to a partial rupture of it—here, with total urethral section. He has no medical-surgical history. The physical examination finds a good general condition, a partial tearing of the ventral face of the penis associated with a total rupture of the urethra followed by a hemorrhage, the rest of the examination was without particularity. The emergency assessment carried out was without particularity. The treatment consisted initially of catheterizing the urethra by a urinary tube ch 20, then a urethral replacement, followed by a Peno plastie. The surgical suites were enamelled with parietal suppuration plus necrosis at J 14 post-operative. A more bidaily dressing debridement followed with a favorable evolution at 2 months. Subsequently, a penile graft was performed more urethrolastic, with removal of the flap on the inner side of the thigh, the surgical suites were favorable on the sexual plane gradual resumption of night erections.

Self-strangulation induced penile partial amputation:A case report

BACKGROUND Traumatic amputation of the penis is a rare surgical emergency,usually caused by self-mutilation,accidents,circumcision,assault and animal attacks.This study aimed to summarize our treatment experience involving penile reconstruction in a rare case of a self-strangulation induced chronical penile partial amputation.CASE SUMMARY A 22-year-old man presented with self-strangulation induced chronical penile partial amputation for 3 mo where the penile proximal part was 1 cm far from the pubis.Reconstruction methods included end-to-end anastomosis of the urethral mucosa,proximal anastomosis of the corpus cavernosum and tunica albuginea of the penis,anastomosis of the deep dorsal vein,dorsal artery,and superficial dorsal vein.Patient urinated smoothly after the catheter was removed on day 21.3 mo after the surgery,the patient's penile preliminary cosmetic appearance was satisfactory,with occasional morning erections.Distal penile sensation was preserved,yet erection hardness of the distal penis was not satisfactory.CONCLUSION Complete preoperative assessment and prompt surgical intervention decreases loss of residual penile functions.

Is the Critical Patient with a Septic Limb Too Sick for an Emergent Amputation? A Case Report Illustrating How to Perform a Bedside Physiologic Amputation

A physiologic amputation is an important option for the critically ill patient who has irreversible limb disease with necrotic wounds but who would have a low probability of surviving a standard open amputation, without effective preoperative resuscitation, antibiotics, and correction of metabolic derangements. An open amputation may be required secondary to vascular ischemic disease, necrotizing fasciitis, or thermal injury that has led to the critical and unstable condition. The physiologic amputation stabilizes the patient while preventing further metabolic deterioration. The cryoamputation is intended to rescue the patient’s life and is not meant for limb salvage. While physiologic amputation has been described for over a century, it is uncommonly performed. This case report describes a physiologic amputation in a step-by-step fashion for the surgeon attempting to save a critically ill patient’s life who might not otherwise survive an open amputation.

Tourniquets do not increase the total blood loss or reamputation risk in transtibial amputations

AIM To investigate the total blood loss(TBL) and the safety with respect to the re-amputation rate after transtibial amputation(TTA) conducted with and without a tourniquet. METHODS The study was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of patients with a primary TTA admitted between January 2013 and April 2015. All patients with a primary TTA were assessed for inclusion if the amputation was performed because of arteriosclerosis or diabetic complications. All patients underwent a standardized TTA procedure that was performed approximately 10 cm below the knee joint and performed with sagittalflaps. The pneumatic tourniquet, when used, was inflated around the femur to a pressure of 100 mmH g above the systolic blood pressure. The number of blood transfusions within the first four postoperative days was recorded. The intraoperative blood loss(OBL), which is defined as the volume of blood lost during surgery, was determined from the suction volume and by the weight difference of the surgical dressings. The trigger for a blood transfusion was set at a decrease in the Hgb level < 9.67 g/dL(6 mmol/L). Transfusions were performed with pooled red blood cells containing 245 m L per portion, which equals 55 g/L of haemoglobin. The TBL during the first four postoperative days was calculated based on the haemoglobin level and the estimated blood volume. The re-amputation rate was evaluated within 30 d. RESULTS Seventy-four out of 86 consecutive patients who underwent TTA within the two-year study period were included in the analysis. Of these, 38 were operated on using a tourniquet and 36 were operated on without using a tourniquet. There were no significant preoperative differences between the groups. The patients in both groups had a postoperative decrease in their Hgb level compared with preoperative baseline values. The patients operated on using a tourniquet received approximately three millilitres less blood transfusion per kilogram body weight compared with patients operated on without a tourniquet. The duration of surgery was shorter and the OBL was less for the tourniquet group than the non-tourniquet group, whereas no significant difference was observed for the TBL. The TBL median was 859 mL(IQR: 383-1315) in the non-tourniquet group vs 737 mL(IQR: 331-1218) in the tourniquet group(P = 0.754). Within the 30-d follow-up period, 9 patients in the tourniquet group and 11 in the non-tourniquet group underwent a reamputation at the trans-femoral level. The use of a tourniquet showed no statistically significant association with the 30-d re-amputation at the femur level in the multiple logistic regression model(P = 0.78). The only variable with a significant association with re-amputation was age(OR = 1.07; P = 0.02).CONCLUSION The results indicate that tourniquets do not cause severe vascular damage with an increased postoperative bleeding or failure rate as the result.

Lower extremity amputations and long-term outcomes in diabetic foot ulcers:A systematic review

BACKGROUNDDiabetes mellitus causes a large majority of non-traumatic major and minoramputations globally. Patients with diabetes are clinically complex with amultifactorial association between diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and subsequentlower extremity amputations (LEA). Few studies show the long-term outcomeswithin the cohort of DFU-associated LEA.AIMTo highlight the long-term outcomes of LEA as a result of DFU.METHODSPubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched for key terms, “diabetes”,“foot ulcers”, “amputations” and “outcomes”. Outcomes such as mortality, reamputation,re-ulceration and functional impact were recorded. Peer-reviewedstudies with adult patients who had DFU, subsequent amputation and follow upof at least 1 year were included. Non-English language articles or studiesinvolving children were excluded.RESULTSA total of 22 publications with a total of 2334 patients were selected against theinclusion criteria for review. The weighted mean of re-amputation was 20.14%,29.63% and 45.72% at 1, 3 and 5 years respectively. The weighted mean of mortality at 1, 3 and 5 years were 13.62%, 30.25% and 50.55% respectively withsignificantly higher rates associated with major amputation, re-amputation andischemic cardiomyopathy.CONCLUSIONPrevious LEA, level of the LEA and patient comorbidities were significant riskfactors contributing to re-ulceration, re-amputation, mortality and depreciatedfunctional status.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone in a traumatic amputation stump: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Malignant fibrous histiocytoma(MFH)is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas among adults.It is characterized by large size,high grade,and biological aggressiveness.There are many reports of MFH after local stimulation,such as bone fracture,implants,and chronic osteomyelitis.In this paper,we report a patient who developed MFH 6 years after amputation,suggesting that wound healing and mechanical force play a role in the local stimulation of this disease.CASE SUMMARY A 66-year-old man complained of persistent pain in his residual mid-thigh.He had undergone amputation surgery due to a traffic accident 6 years prior.Physical examination showed tenderness but no abnormalities in appearance.Xray radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging supported the diagnosis of a tumor,and a biopsy confirmed that the lesion was MFH.The patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and left hip disarticulation.During the 6-mo followup,there were no symptoms of recurrence.CONCLUSION Postsurgery MFH has been reported before,and many studies have attributed it to the biological effects of implants.Our case report shows that this disease can develop without an implant and thus highlights the importance of local stimulation.The wound-healing process and mechanical force can both promote this tumor,but whether they directly cause MFH needs further investigation.

A New Implant for Transfemoral Amputation: Improved Gait and Comfort

Introduction: Transfemoral amputation results in a prosthesis which bears weight on the ischium. Gait disturbance, lack of an end-bearing stump and discomfort in the groin from the socket even while sitting, are important issues. Methods: This is a pilot report of an ongoing randomized blind clinical trial of a new intramedullary implant post transfemoral amputation. Here, we describe a single case illustrating the surgical technique and clinical outcome of a dysfunctional post-traumatic transfemoral amputation addressed with this implant. Clinical gait analysis, SF-12 and VAS were assessed pre- and post-intervention at 6 months of follow-up. Results: An improved stump control is accomplished by means of myoplasty and myodesis through an end-cap. Stride width improved from 0.21 m pre-op to 0.13 m post-op, and more symmetrical stride length (△0.21 m pre-op vs. △0.06 m post-op) was noted, indicating improved gait quality and stability. Gait velocity increased (0.51 ± 0.04 m/s pre-op vs. 0.64 ± 0.02 m/s post-op). Conclusion: This technique reveals improvements in gait parameters in a transfemoral amputee treated with a new procedure. Improved prosthesis control, sitting comfort, greater hip range of motion, better gait stability, and enhanced walking abilities were noted.

Curcumin upregulates S100 expression and improves regeneration of the sciatic nerve following its complete amputation in mice

The repair of peripheral nerve injury after complete amputation is difficult,and even with anastomosis,the rapid recovery of nerve function remains challenging.Curcumin,extracted from plants of the genus Curcuma,has been shown to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and to improve sciatic nerve crush injury in rats.Here,we determined whether curcumin had neuroprotective effects following complete peripheral nerve amputation injury.BALB/c mice underwent complete sciatic nerve amputation,followed by an immediate epineurium anastomosis.Mice were intragastrically administered curcumin at doses of 40（high）,20（moderate）,and 10 mg/kg/d（low） for 1 week.We found that myelin in the mice of the high- and moderate-dose curcumin groups appeared with regular shape,uniform thickness,clear boundary,and little hyperplasia surrounding the myelin.High and moderate doses of curcumin markedly improved both action potential amplitude of the sciatic nerves and the conduction velocity of the corresponding motor neurons,and upregulated m RNA and protein expression of S100,a marker for Schwann cell proliferation,in L4–6 spinal cord segments.These results suggest that curcumin is effective in promoting the repair of complete sciatic nerve amputation injury and that the underlying mechanism may be associated with upregulation of S100 expression.

Surgical apgar score predicts early complication in transfemoral amputees:Retrospective study of 170 major amputations

AIM To assess whether the surgical apgar score(SAS) is a prognostic tool capable of identifying patients at risk of major complications following lower extremity amputations surgery.METHODS This was a single-center,retrospective observational cohort study conducted between January 2013 and April 2015. All patients who had either a primary transtibial amputation(TTA) or transfemoral amputation(TFA) conducted at our institution during the study period were assessed for inclusion. All TTA patients underwent a standardized one-stage operative procedure(ad modum Persson amputation) performed approximately 10 cm below the knee joint. All TTA procedures were performedwith sagittal flaps. TFA procedures were performed in one stage with amputation approximately 10 cm above the knee joint,performed with anterior/posterior flaps. Trained residents or senior consultants performed the surgical procedures. The SAS is based on intraoperative heart rate,blood pressure and blood loss. Intraoperative parameters of interest were collected by revising electronic health records. The first author of this study calculated the SAS. Data regarding major complications were not revealed to the author until after the calculation of SAS. The SAS results were arranged into four groups(SAS 0-4,SAS 5-6,SAS 7-8 and SAS 9-10). The cohort was then divided into two groups representing low-risk(SAS ≥ 7) and highrisk patients(SAS < 7) using a previously established threshold. The outcome of interest was the occurrence of major complications and death within 30-d of surgery.RESULTS A logistic regression model with SAS 9-10 as a reference showed a significant linear association between lower SAS and more postoperative complications [all patients: OR = 2.00(1.33-3.03),P = 0.001]. This effect was pronounced for TFA [OR = 2.61(1.52-4.47),P < 0.001]. A significant increase was observed for the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group for all patients [OR = 2.80(1.40-5.61),P = 0.004] and for the TFA sub-group [OR = 3.82(1.5-9.42),P = 0.004]. The AUC from the models were estimated as follows: All patients = [0.648(0.562-0.733),P = 0.001],for TFA patients = [0.710(0.606-0.813),P < 0.001] and for TTA patients = [0.472(0.383-0.672),P = 0.528]. This indicates moderate discriminatory power of the SAS in predicting postoperative complications among TFA patients.CONCLUSION SAS provides information regarding the potential development of complications following TFA. The SAS is especially useful when patients are divided into high- and low-risk groups.

Dynamic mechanical allodynia following finger amputation:Unexpected skin hyperinnervation

The development of chronic pain after amputations is not an uncommon event. In some cases the most disabling problem is represented by the symptom called dynamic mechanical allodynia, characterized by the painful sensation evoked by gently stroking the skin. Despite the growing interest in understanding pain mechanisms, little is known about the mechanism sustaining this peculiar type of pain. We present here the case of a 53-year-old female patient who complained of severe tactile allodynia in the hand after amputation of her left second finger, resistant to several medical and surgical treatments. In order to gain information about the pain mechanism, two neurodiagnostic skin biopsies were obtained from the area of tactile allodynia and from the contralateral, normal skin area. Skin biopsies showed an unexpected increased innervation of the allodynic skin compared to the contralateral, normal skin area(+ 80.1%). Hyperinnervation has been proposed as a mechanism of pain following nerve lesions, but the increased innervation described here could be also attributed to neuronal plasticity occurring in chronic inflammatory conditions. Independently from the uncertain cause of the epidermal hyperinnervation, in this patient we tried to reduce the elevated number of epidermal nerve fibres by treating the skin with topical capsaicin(0.075%) three times a day, and obtained a persistent pain relief. In conclusion, neurodiagnostic skin biopsy might represent an useful tool for detecting derangements of epidermal innervation in patients with dynamic mechanical allodynia and can help to select an individually tailored therapeutic strategy in such difficult clinical conditions. Further studies are needed to clarify this issue and try to gain better understanding of chronic pain mechanisms in patients who underwent finger amputation.