Impact of Amputation Level and Oncologic Prognosis on Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Lower Limb Amputation for Musculoskeletal Malignancies.

Abstract

Activities of daily living (ADLs) with phantom limb pain (PLP) and prosthesis use in patients who underwent lower limb amputation for musculoskeletal malignancies has been reported just by a few researchers. This study aimed to investigate the influence of PLP and prosthesis use on ADLs after lower limb amputation for musculoskeletal malignancies. We conducted a retrospective study on 19 patients (10 males and 9 females) who underwent lower limb amputation for musculoskeletal malignancies between 2003 and 2011 and were followed up until 2021. The mean age was 60.4 (range, 10-85) years. We investigated PLP, prosthesis use, and ADLs after lower limb amputation; we used the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) to assess ADLs. PLP was present in 16 patients (84%), and 4 of 5 survivors (80%) were medication-free at the final follow-up. Prostheses were prescribed in 16 patients (84%), and 11 patients (69%) continued to use the prosthesis after discharge. In a multiple linear regression analysis of ADLs at discharge for the 15 patients with confirmed survival or death, excluding the four patients whose outcome was unknown at the last follow-up, lower-level amputation and good oncologic prognosis were positive independent factors, while age was the only negative independent factor. PLP and prosthesis use did not influence ADLs.