Midterm Health and Personnel Outcomes of Recent Combat Amputees

Objective: Warfighters who sustained combat amputations in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) have unique challenges during rehabilitation. This study followed their outcomes. Methods: Subjects were 382 U.S. warfighters with major limb amputations after combat injury in OEF/OIF between 2001 and 2005. Outcome measures were diagnoses, treatment codes, and personnel events captured by health and personnel databases during 24 months postinjury. Results: Most patients had multiple complications generally within 30 days postinjury (e.g., infections, anemia), with important exceptions (e.g., heterotopic ossification). Lower limb amputees had 50% more complications than upper limb amputees. Two-thirds of patients had a mental health disorder (e.g., adjustment, post traumatic stress disorder), with rates of major disorder categories between 18% and 25%. Over 80% of patients used physical and occupational therapy, prosthetic/orthotic services, and psychiatric care. Conclusions: Combat amputees had a complex set of outcomes supporting the continued need for military amputee care programs. Published in Military Medicine, v175 n3 p147-154, Mar 2010. Sponsored in part by Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, Marine Corps Systems Command, and Office of Naval Research.