Prevalence and causal conditions for amputation surgery in the third world

This is a partly retrospective study of 252 major limb amputations carried out in regional hospital in Tanzania over a period of ten years mostly by the authors. The paper reports on the aetiology and levels of amputation and identifies prevalence and sex of the amputees. The causes of amputation classified under tumours, vascular diseases, trauma, infections, burns, animal bites, iatrogenic causes, maduromycosis and miscellanea--are discussed with particular reference to the influence of the environment, cultural habits and local customs.