Survey shows that the number of amputations grew during the pandemic

Between 2012 and 2021, more than 245,000 Brazilians had lower limbs such as legs or feet amputated, that is, three surgeries of this kind were performed per hour. The survey, carried out by the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (SBACV), found an even greater increase in amputations during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

The reason for the increase in these procedures stems from the difficulty in monitoring the health complications of patients who, during the epidemiological emergency, abandoned treatments or avoided going to clinics and hospitals for fear of contamination by Covid-19. In 2020, when the epidemiological crisis began in Brazil, the daily average of amputations reached 75.64, while in 2021, it was 79.19. In these two years, a total of 56,513 Brazilians underwent the process of amputation or disarticulation of lower limbs.

The study was prepared from information available in the Ministry of Health database, and concerns health professionals in relation to the care of vascular diseases, such as diabetic foot syndrome. According to experts, more than half of the cases of amputations involve people with diabetes. However, lower limb surgeries can also be related to causes such as smoking, high blood pressure, advanced age, chronic renal failure, and family history.

For vascular surgeon Mateus Borges, director of Publications at SBACV, the data demonstrate the impact of the pandemic on patient care and quality of life. According to him, people with diabetes who develop ulcers and progress to infectious conditions require long periods of hospitalization or readmissions, with consequent loss or absence from work, early retirement and, sometimes, a drop in self-esteem, depression or the creation of a condition of dependence on food. family or friends.

Underreporting

Another worrying fact is the number of individuals who have diabetes and do not know it. “In the world, one in five people does not know they have this disease. The pandemic has revealed this to us. Many patients who come to the office or emergency department with diabetes complications only find out that they have it after treatment. Brazil already has a legion of amputees, which is growing exponentially”, comments the specialist.

3 Cards_Gallery_of_Photos (4)

Diabetes is a disease whose main characteristic is the increase in blood sugar levels. Severe and, most of the time, silent, it can affect several organs of the body, such as eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart, if left untreated.Oscar Wong/Getty Images

*****Picture-exam-of-blood.jpg

Diabetes arises due to increased blood glucose, which is called hyperglycemia. This occurs as a consequence of defects in the secretion or action of the hormone insulin, which is produced in the pancreas.moodboard / Getty Images

*****Picture-applying-insulin-in-the-tummy.jpg

The main function of insulin is to promote the entry of glucose into the cells, so that they take advantage of the sugar for cellular activities. The lack of insulin or a defect in its action causes the accumulation of glucose in the blood, which, when circulating in the body, damages the other organs of the body.Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

*****Picture-person-eating-plate-with-fries.jpg

One of the main causes of the disease is poor diet. Bad diets based on processed and sugary foods, for example, can trigger diabetes. In addition, the lack of physical exercise also contributes to thePeter Cade/Getty Images

*****Photo-doctor-showing-diabetics-machine-to-child.jpg

Diabetes can be divided into three main types. Type 1, in which the pancreas stops producing insulin, is the least common type and appears from birth. Type 1 carriers require daily insulin injections to keep blood glucose in the normal range.Maskot / Getty Images

****Photo-checking-the-glucose.jpg

Type 2 diabetes is considered the most common of the disease. It occurs when the patient develops insulin resistance or produces insufficient amounts of the hormone. Treatment includes regular physical activity and diet control.Arthur Debat/Getty Images

*****Picture-woman-pregnant.jpg

Gestational diabetes affects pregnant women who, in general, have a family history of the disease. Insulin resistance occurs especially from the second trimester and can cause complications for the baby, such as malformation, prematurity, breathing problems, among others.Chris Beavon/Getty Images

****Photo-blood test-2.jpg

In addition to these, there are still other ways to develop the disease, although rare. Some of them are: due to diseases in the pancreas, genetic defect, endocrine diseases or drug useGuido Mieth/Getty Images

*****Picture-holding-sugar-cubes.jpg

It is also common to use the term pre-diabetes, which indicates a considerable increase in blood sugar, but not enough to diagnose the disease.GSO Images/ Getty Images

****Picture-child-drinking-water.jpg

The symptoms of diabetes can vary depending on the type. However, in general, they are: intense thirst, excessive urination and itching in the body. Family history and obesity are risk factorsThanasis Zovoilis/ Getty Images

*****Picture-of-a-pe.jpg

Some other signs may also indicate the presence of the disease, such as bony protrusions on the feet and insensitivity in the region, blurred vision, frequent presence of mycoses and infections.Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

*****Photo-drawing-blood.jpg

The diagnosis is made after routine tests, such as the fasting blood glucose test, which measures the amount of glucose in the blood. Reference values ​​are: less than 99 mg/dL (normal), between 100 to 125 mg/dL (pre-diabetes), above 126 mg/dL (Diabetes)Panyawat Boontanom / EyeEm/ Getty Images

*****Picture-person-sitting-drinking-green-juice.jpg

Whatever the type of disease, the main treatment is to control glucose levels. Maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise help keep your weight healthy and your glycemic and cholesterol indices in check.Oscar Wong/Getty Images

*****Picture-person-with-problem-to-hear.jpg

When diabetes is not treated properly, blood sugar levels can stay high for a long time and cause serious problems for the patient. Some of the complications generated are deafness, neuropathy, cardiovascular diseases, retinoplasty and even depression.Image Source/ Getty Images

0

Patients with diabetes and foot ulcers have a mortality rate twice as high compared to diabetic patients without foot ulcers. Those who undergo major lower limb amputation have a low survival rate.

Approximately 10% of patients who amputated the lower limb die during the pre and postoperative period; 30% in the first year after amputation; 50% in the third year; and 70% in the fifth. The percentage may be higher in developing countries, as the demand for medical care usually occurs when the ulcer infection is advanced.

Although the growth in the number of amputations performed between 2012 and 2021 is balanced across all regions of the country, the percentage change in this period draws attention in some states. Alagoas, for example, was the federative unit that suffered the most increase in the number of amputations, with a growth of 173% in the comparison between the beginning and the end of the period studied, with a jump from 182 to 497 procedures.

Other states that registered significant changes in the same interval were Roraima, with a variation of 160%; Ceará, up 146%; and Rondônia, with growth of 116% in the comparison between 2012 and 2021. On the other hand, Amapá and Amazonas were the only states that showed a decrease in the same analysis method, with reductions of 29% and 25%, respectively.

Get news from metropolises on your Telegram and stay on top of everything! Just access the channel: https://t.me/metropolesurgente.