This is a partly retrospective study of 252 major limb amputations carried out in regional hospital in Tanzania over a period of ten years mostly by the authors.
The paper reports on the aetiology and levels of amputation and identifies prevalence and sex of the amputees. The causes of amputation-classified under tumours, vascular diseases, trauma, infections, burns, animal bites, iatrogenic causes, maduromycosis and miscellanea — are discussed with particular reference to the influence of the environment, cultural habits and local customs.
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