Evolution of a Specialized Multidisciplinary Amputee Care Clinic: Referral Patterns and Patient Satisfaction

Introduction: The rising prevalence of limb amputations, combined with increasing awareness of post-amputation pain and the need for functional rehabilitation, has created a pressing demand for comprehensive, multidisciplinary care models for patients with limb loss. This study describes the patient population and satisfaction outcomes of a specialized amputee care clinic. Methods Adult amputees treated at our institution’s Interdisciplinary Care for Amputees Network (ICAN) clinic between 2017–2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, surgical characteristics, and referral patterns were analyzed. Patient satisfaction was assessed cross-sectionally using the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (SAPS) questionnaire. Results Of 318 operative amputee patients (median follow-up 2.0 years (IQR:0.8–3.4)), 90.6% underwent lower extremity amputation (58.5% transtibial, 27.7% transfemoral), primarily due to trauma (43.7%) or infection (25.2%). Referrals originated primarily from academic medical centers (71.1%), with orthopaedic specialties (46.9%) as predominant source. All operative patients underwent Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) and/or Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI), performed primarily during amputation in 158 patients (49.7%), and secondarily for established neuropathic pain in 160 patients (50.3%). Among 270 eligible patients contacted, 156 (57.8%) completed the satisfaction survey. Overall satisfaction was 86.5% (42.3% “very satisfied”, 44.2% “satisfied”), with the highest ratings for provider thoroughness (94.5%) and respect (96.6%), and the lowest for time spent with providers (78.9%). Patients with anxiety were significantly more likely to express dissatisfaction (p = 0.017). Conclusions The implementation of a specialized multidisciplinary amputee care model achieved high satisfaction across care domains. These findings support integrated approaches to amputee management and suggest potential benefits from broader adoption. Level of Evidence: III – therapeutic