The immediate postoperative prosthesis (IPOP) in ischemia and septic amputations.

A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 17 consecutive patients undergoing lower extremity amputation and Immediate Postoperative Prosthesis (IPOP) placement for infectious complications of unreconstructable arterial insufficiency was performed. Significant soft tissue infection was present in 13 patients and osteomyelitis in four. The mean patient age was 59.4 years and 13 of 17 patients were diabetic. Fourteen patients underwent below knee and three underwent above knee amputations. Seven patients had undergone previous arterial reconstruction. Thirteen patients had previous ipsilateral amputations, five of which were open guillotine amputations performed between 3 and 7 days prior to definitive surgery. Four individuals (24%) required early removal of the IPOP, two due to patient noncompliance and two due to stump healing complications. Thirteen patients (76%) were successfully treated with IPOP and went on to achieve independent gait within 3 weeks of their definitive amputation.