50,000 new amputations occur every year in the U.S. based on information from National Center for Health Statistics.
- ratio of upper limb to lower limb amputation is 1:4
- most common is partial hand amputation with loss of one or more fingers -- 61,000
- next common is loss of one arm -- 25,000
- 350,000 persons live with amputations in the U.S. – 30 percent have upper limb loss
- of this, wrist and hand amputations are estimated to make up ten percent of upper limb population
- transradial amputations (below the elbow) make up 60 percent of total wrist and hand amputations
- which means 70 percent of all persons with upper limb amputations have amputations distal to the elbow
- In the U.S., 41,000 persons are registered who had an amputation of hand or complete arm
- 60 percent of arm amputations are between ages 21 and 64 years and 10 percent are under 21 years of age
Causes leading to amputation:
Reasons for amputation include cardiovascular disease, traumatic accidents, infection, tumors, nerve injury (trophic ulceration), and congenital anomalies.
- most frequent causes of upper limb amputation are trauma and cancer, followed by vascular complications of disease
- the right arm is more frequently involved in work related injuries
- 30-50 percent of handicapped persons do not use a prosthetic hand regularly
Source: www.aboutonehandtyping.com
