Investigation of cases of amputation of upper and lower limbs in Shahid Motahari Medical Training Center of Tehran in 2022 and 2023

Background: Amputation remains a significant public health challenge in low and middle-income countries where specialized burn care is limited. Acute burns particularly electrical burns, cause irreversible tissue damage necessitating amputation. This study examined cases of upper and lower limb amputation following burns at Shahid Motahari Educational and Treatment Center in Tehran during the years 2022-2023. Methods: After ethical approval a retrospective review was conducted on 150 burn patients who underwent amputation. The data included demographic information, hospitalization details, burn characteristics, amputation level, and additional surgical interventions (escharotomy, grafting, debridement). Burn severity was classified based on total body surface area percentage and burn degree. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: The mean age of patients was 38.8 ± 16.6 years with 84% being male. The average length of hospital stay was 19.7 days and 91.3% were discharged routinely. All mortalities occurred in males. The predominant occupations were freelancers (39.3%) and laborers (24.7%). Acute burns accounted for 59.3% of cases with 47.3% of known causes due to electric shock. Upper limb amputations mainly involved the fingers (50%) or forearm (39.5%) while lower limb amputations predominantly affected the toes (68.4%) or below the knee (23.7%). Diabetes was significantly associated with lower limb amputation (P=0.003). Acute burns were associated with a higher rate of upper limb amputation (P=0.045). Lower limb amputation correlated with longer hospital stays (P=0.014). Conclusion: Burn related amputation primarily affected working age men in high-risk occupations with electrical injuries being the main cause. The findings emphasize the need for targeted occupational safety interventions, improved prevention of electrical hazards and enhanced diabetes care. Multicenter studies evaluating long term functional and psychosocial outcomes are essential to optimize rehabilitation strategies and community reintegration.