Amputee Coalition Fact Sheet

New Hampshire

Web Development Fact Sheet

Updated 3/2019 | Download PDF

INTRODUCTION

Currently, 1.9 million people are living with limb loss in the United States, with an average of 507 people continuing to lose a limb every day. This results in an estimated 185,000 amputations per year (1), and this number is expected to double by the year 2050 due to increasing rates of diabetes and vascular disease (1). Among those living with limb loss, the major causes of their amputations are vascular disease (54%) – including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease – trauma (45%) and cancer (less than 2%) (2). The most common causes of pediatric amputations, however, are lawn mower accidents (3). Non-whites comprise about 42% of the limb loss population in the U.S. (1). In 2008, the diabetes related amputation rate among African Americans was nearly four times that of whites (4).

A total of 520 amputations were performed in New Hampshire hospitals in 2009. These amputations were performed for a variety of reasons, including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease complications. The following information details the trends and most current rates of amputation and diabetes in New Hampshire.

1. AMPUTATION TRENDS OVER TIME

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Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

According to hospital discharge data, the number of total amputations performed in New Hampshire was at a low in 2005 (431) and a high in 2003 (526). This overall time period represents a 1.14% decrease. A total of 3,452 amputations were performed in this time period. (See Graph 1.1)

In New Hampshire, the total number of upper-extremity amputations performed from 2003 to 2009 was 188. The year 2003 saw the most of these types of amputations (36), while the lowest incidence (18) occurred in 2005. There is a 19.44% decrease in this time period. (See Graph 1.2)

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Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

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Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

A total of 3,264 of lower-extremity amputations were performed from 2003 to 2009. The incidences of these amputations spiked to 491in 2009 and were at their lowest at 413 in 2005. This represents a, 0.02% increase in the number of lower-extremity amputations from 2003 to 2009. (See Graph 1.3)

2. TYPES OF AMPUTATIONS PERFORMED

22 upper-extremity amputations were reported in 2009. The most common minor upper-extremity amputation was of the fingers (22) and no other types of procedures were reported. (See Graph 2.1)

fs-new-hamphsire-2-1-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

fs-new-hamphsire-2-2-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

486 lower-extremity amputations were performed in 2009. In terms of minor lower-extremity amputations, toes (213) were amputated more often than part of the foot (68). For major lower-extremity amputations, below-knee (120) amputation was the most common procedure, followed by above-knee (85) procedures. (See Graph 2.2)

3. WHO LOSES A LIMB?

In 2009, most amputations were performed on individuals aged 45-64 years old, closely followed by the age group of 65-84 year olds (See Graph 3.1).

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Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

fs-new-hamphsire-3-2-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

There were roughly 2.5 times more amputations performed on male patients in New Hampshire than on female patients (See Graph 3.2).

Medicare recipients ranked as the most common group to have an amputation procedure followed by private insurance. (See Graph 3.3)

fs-new-hamphsire-3-3-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

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Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

Amputations in the state’s population as a whole were 0.042%. (See Graph 3.4)

4. DIABETES TRENDS

In 2014, a total of 96,862 New Hampshire residents indicated that they had been diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lives. The prevalence of diabetes in the adult population of New Hampshire increased 155.3% from 1994 to 2014. (See Graph 4.1)

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Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System gis.cdc.gov/grasp/diabetes/DiabetesAtlas.html

fs-new-hamphsire-4-2-2014

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System gis.cdc.gov/grasp/diabetes/DiabetesAtlas.html

The annual rate of existing cases of diabetes among adults in New Hampshire increased 59.18% from 1994 to 2014. (See Graph 4.2)

5. HEALTHCARE COSTS

For persons with a unilateral lower-extremity amputation, the two year healthcare costs, including initial hospitalization, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient physical therapy, and purchase and maintenance of a prosthetic device, is estimated to be $91,106. The lifetime healthcare cost for persons with a unilateral lower extremity amputation is estimated to be more than $500,000 (5). It is anticipated that these healthcare costs would be higher for a person with a proximal amputation level and bilateral amputation status, due to higher prosthetic costs.

Charges represent what the hospital billed for the case, and may not represent all discharges for amputations. (See graph 5.1)

fs-new-hamphsire-5-1-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

fs-new-hamphsire-5-2-2014

Source: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project HCUPnet database hcupnet.ahrq.gov/

Charges represent what the hospital billed for the case, and may not represent all discharges for amputations. (See graph 5.2)


6. REFERENCES

1.    Ziegler-Graham K, MacKenzie EJ, Ephraim PL, Travison TG, Brookmeyer R. Estimating the Prevalence of Limb Loss in the United States: 2005 to 2050. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation2008;89(3):422-9.
2.    Coalition LLTFA. Recommendations from the 2012 Limb Loss Task Force: Roadmap for Preventing Limb Loss in America. [White Paper]. 2012 February 9-12.
3.    Bryant PR, Pandian G. Acquired limb deficiencies. 1. Acquired limb deficiencies in children and young adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation2001;82(3B):00s3-s8.
4.    Li Y, Burrows NR, Gregg EW, Albright A, Geiss LS. Declining Rates of Hospitalization for Nontraumatic Lower-Extremity Amputation in the Diabetic Population Aged 40 Years or Older: U.S., 1988-2008. Diabetes Care2012;35(2):273-7.
5.    MacKenzie EJ. Health-Care Costs Associated with Amputation or Reconstruction of a Limb-Threatening Injury. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American)2007;89(8):1685.


It is not the intention of the Amputee Coalition to provide specific medical or legal advice but rather to provide consumers with information to better understand their health and healthcare issues. The Amputee Coalition does not endorse any specific treatment, technology, company, service or device. Consumers are urged to consult with their healthcare providers for specific medical advice or before making any purchasing decisions involving their care.

© Amputee Coalition. Local reproduction for use by Amputee Coalition constituents is permitted as long as this copyright information is included. Organizations or individuals wishing to reprint this article in other publications, including other websites must contact the Amputee Coalition for permission to do so, by emailing a request to rc@amputee-coalition.org.