A study presented at a recent medical conference found that there was no difference in mortality between patients who underwent early amputation versus those treated with the intention of limb salvage for mangled extremities. Early amputation was associated with a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications, but limb salvage was linked to a longer hospital stay and increased odds of developing complications. It was recommended that attempts at limb salvage should be reserved for patients with the highest probability of good functional outcomes. However, long-term outcome data was lacking in the study, limiting the ability to assess the impact of initial treatment strategies on patients’ quality of life.
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Surgeons May Not Have To Choose After All
