Anaesthesia for lower limb amputation

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Abstract
Summary: Amputation of the lower limb for vascular disease has a high morbidity and mortality. A comparative study in 60 patients was carried out between spinal analgesia with sedation and general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation which maintained end expiratory carbon dioxide between 4–4.5 kPa. The spinal technique had advantages over general anaesthesia during surgery and in the first 24 hours, but no long term benefits.Meticulous pre‐operative preparation, intra‐operative care and careful postoperative management, including monitoring of end expiratory carbon dioxide tension, appeared to be major factors contributing towards the low morbidity and mortality.