Amputee Rehabilitation Backgrounder
St. John’s Rehab is the only hospital in Ontario solely dedicated to specialized rehabilitation. Our amputee rehabilitation program offers care for patients recovering from upper and lower extremity amputations resulting from disease, trauma, work-related injuries, diabetes and cancer-related surgery.
- As a teaching site of the University of Toronto, we excel in teaching and researching rehabilitation care.
- Patients are referred to St. John's Rehab’s inpatient and outpatient programs by family physicians, specialists and hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area.
- Our highly skilled and committed multidisciplinary rehab team includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses, speech-language pathologists, physicians, dietitians, social workers, psychologists and pastoral care.
- Our team of rehabilitation professionals develops realistic goals and timelines with each patient and keeps in close contact with the patient and his or her family. This helps achieve maximum recovery, independence and quality of life.
- The individually customized program consists of assessment, treatment and support focused on the whole person – body, mind and spirit.
- Services such as psychology, social work, psychiatry and specialized foot care are available to address the diverse needs of adults of all ages.
- Patients receive training with wheelchairs, assistive devices and prostheses.
- Before people are discharged from inpatient care, they often return home for a few weekends to safely practice their new skills.
- Once discharged, patients can benefit from a seamless continuum of care by being referred to our outpatient rehabilitation program.
- The specialized Back on Track Program provides rehab care to clients who sustain amputations as a result of injuries in motor vehicle and work-related accidents.
- Patients can enjoy the hospital’s 25 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and pathways – a key element in their spiritual and emotional recovery.
Ontario amputation facts
There are three main reasons for amputations:
- Diseases such as diabetes, vascular diseases, Raynaud’s disease, Beugers disease and cancer.
- Surgeries to remove a tumor, to deal with gangrene, to remove severe frost bite or other reasons.
- Traumatic injury resulting from a motor vehicle collision, severe burn, household accident or workplace accident.
According to Statistics Canada:
- Diabetes is the leading cause of amputation in Canada.
- Diabetes can lead to foot problems such as ulcers, lesions and infections. If not treated appropriately, diabetes may cause more serious health issues such as gangrene and the need for amputation.
- Diabetes increases the risk of amputation twenty-fold.
According to a recent report commissioned by St. John’s Rehab Hospital:
- There were 4,256 acute care amputation procedures in Ontario in 2004 - 2005.
- Residual limb and phantom pain occur in 85 per cent of all amputee patients.
- 29 per cent of amputees have depressive symptoms.
- 18.2 per cent of inpatient amputees are discharged to designated inpatient rehab beds.
- 48 per cent of inpatient amputees are discharged home, even though many might benefit from some inpatient rehabilitation.
In a survey conducted at St. John’s Rehab and other Ontario rehab facilities:
- Approximately 90 per cent of inpatient amputee rehabilitation patients had vascular-related amputations.
- 95 per cent were new lower extremity amputations.
St. John’s Rehab amputee program patients (April 2006 – March 2007)
- Total inpatient beds: 14
- Inpatients admitted: 70
- Outpatient visits: 6,713
- Typical length of stay: six weeks
- Average age of patients: 67 years
- Patients aged 55 or older: 88.6 per cent
- Gender of patients: 69 per cent male, 31 per cent female