[Evolution of the incidence of amputations in Spain from 2016 to 2023].

INTRODUCTION

Amputations represent a public health problem due to their functional, psychological, and social impact. In Spain, recent information on their incidence is limited, which makes it difficult to quantify the phenomenon and plan prevention strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the evolution of the incidence of amputations in Spain between 2016 and 2023, describing their sociodemographic characteristics and the associated in-hospital mortality.

METHOD: Observational, descriptive and analytical study based on an analysis of annual aggregated trends, with cross-sectional data for each year. Amputation data were obtained from the Spanish Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos (Minimum Basic Data Set) hospital records, and population estimates from the Spanish Instituto Nacional de Estadística (National Statistics Institute). Temporal trends were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Between 2016 and 2023, amputations increased by 42%, with more than 80% involving lower limbs. Minor amputations increased by 54%, compared with 13.7% for major amputations. Amputations were more frequent in men (3.7 for every woman in 2023), although in-hospital mortality was higher in women. Incidence increased with age, particularly among those over 65 years. Galicia, Cantabria and Asturias showed the highest rates, while Galicia and Murcia showed significant increases in their temporal evolution.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of amputations in Spain has increased substantially, especially minor amputations of the lower limbs. Sex, age and territory are related to their frequency, highlighting the need to strengthen prevention and to optimise healthcare planning in the most vulnerable groups.