Major lower limb amputations.

A retrospective study of major lower limb amputations carried out in the Orthopaedic Department of the General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, during the period 1972-79, revealed that diabetes mellitus was the cause in 43 percent of all lower amputations, followed by tumours and trauma. Post-amputation complications due to wound sepsis and wound breakdown were highest in diabetic patients, because of poor selection of amputation level and inadequate attention during and after amputation. Below-knee amputations when carried out for gangrene of the extremities in diabetes mellitus have a high failure rate.