Characterization of SUS-treated amputees at the Itanhaém Municipal Rehabilitation Center from 2012 to 2020

Introduction and aim. Analyzing the factors related to amputations and understanding which factors are changeable can assist in the development of public policies for the prevention and education of the population. Objective: To describe the main etiological characteristics and symptoms after amputation in the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS) patients in order to contribute to the information for treatment planning by the multiprofessional team for these patients. Material and methods. Retrospective study from 2012 to 2020, evaluating data from all amputation cases seen at the Itanhaém Municipal Rehabilitation Service, SP. Results. 76 cases were studied, mostly middle-aged men, Caucasian, smokers, hypertensive, type II diabetics, some with dyslipdemia, cardiopathies, and the main cause of amputation was infection after wound. Conclusion. The population needs to be warned about the risk of amputation due to infected wounds in patients with difficulty in controlling their comorbidities. Patients who have undergone amputation, should be oriented towards an early utilization of rehabilitation services, and municipalities should prepare their medical and rehabilitation professionals for the treatment of characteristic symptoms that amputees report and prosthetization.