Background and purpose: This study examines the characteristics and medical utilization of elderly patients with lower limb amputation in three different age groups, namely, young-old, old-old, and oldest-old, and compares them with amputees younger than 65. Methods: A retrospective study. We used data from a nationally representative sample of one million enrollees of the National Health Insurance in Taiwan from 1996 to 2013. The basic characteristics for amputation were identified, and the claims data for medical utilization were analyzed. Results: Among amputees older than 65, the higher the age, the higher the proportion of female (p = .002) and amputations due to peripheral vascular diseases (p = .000). There was no significant difference in amputation level, dialysis, inpatient rehabilitation, surgical cost, and hospital costs. Compared with amputees younger than 65, the proportion of females (p = .000), proximal amputations (p = .000), non-traumatic amputations (p = .000), and dialysis (p = .000) was higher in patients older than 65. In contrast, the proportion of patients receiving rehabilitation (p = .000) and the surgical cost of the same amputa-tion level (p = .000) were lower than for those younger than 65. Conclusion: In el-derly at risk of amputation, the higher the age, more attention must be paid to female and patient with non-diabetic peripheral vascular disease. Few elderly amputees re-ceived inpatient rehabilitation, which is a reminder that amputation rehabilitation is not simply prosthetic rehabilitation. Improving patients’ self-care, transfer, and mobil-ity skills before discharge should not be limited by age.
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