Partial foot amputations may not always be worth the risk of complications

To the Editor: In their recent article, Dillon and colleagues cite reports that the incidence of partial foot amputations is rising and that the functional outcome of these amputations is poor.1 They express difficulty in understanding “why the high risk of complications and secondary amputations associated with partial foot amputation do not weigh more heavily in decisions about amputation surgery”. Finally, they propose that more transtibial than partial foot amputations should be considered to minimise the risk of complications and further amputation.