AmpuNATION - iconic photographer Rankin captures the scale and impact of preventable amputations in UK

• AmpuNATION, an initiative by Abbott, aims to raise awareness of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), which leads to more than 3,000 lower limb amputations taking place in the UK each year.
• Abbott today reveals a series of powerful portraits of people who have experienced amputations, captured by iconic photographer Rankin.
• A new health economics report reveals the NHS could save millions if it reduced the rate of amputations.
• The initiative calls for clear patient pathways, better awareness of PAD and more proactive and widespread access to innovations that can prevent amputation.

Maidenhead, UK, December 2024 – A new photographic initiative reveals the scale of preventable amputations in the UK and the impact on both patients and the National Health Service (NHS). AmpuNATION, a project led by global healthcare company Abbott, launches with a series of confronting portraits of real people living with amputation. Shot by iconic photographer Rankin, the images accompany a health economics report published in the British Journal of Surgery and aims to help people see and acknowledge the problem behind the statistics.

People who undergo amputations often live with underlying health conditions including diabetes and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). PAD is a common condition in which the vessels supplying blood to the legs become narrow or blocked, causing pain as the leg muscles do not get enough oxygen. Diabetes is a significant cause of amputations, even though 80% of foot amputations due to diabetes are preventable.^1,8

The scale of the problem globally offers a stark reminder of the need for action. In 2019, the number of people globally aged 40 years and older with PAD was 113 million.² By 2030, one in ten Europeans will have diabetes³, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In the UK in 2021, more than 3,000 major lower-limb amputations took place as a result of conditions like PAD and chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI), the end-stage form of PAD.³ An Abbott-funded report, written by leading vascular experts from the NHS, found that the NHS could save more than £8million a year if the rate of major lower-limb amputations among CLTI index procedures is reduced from 10% to 3% across England and Wales.⁴

Amputations can be devastating to people and their loved ones, both physically and emotionally. A third of all limb amputees live with clinically significant depression.⁵ PAD does not affect society equally, with women experiencing a faster decline in quality of life than men and black patients facing a 37% higher risk of amputation than white patients.⁶

The AmpuNATION initiative calls for increased awareness of PAD and the threat of amputation in key at-risk groups, faster diagnosis and referrals, consistent standards of care and a clear pathway for people living with PAD.

"Our clinical and health economics’ assessment shows that the NHS could save millions of pounds a year, and improve outcomes for patients, by increasing revascularisation rates and reducing the number of preventable amputations in people with PAD. As a treating clinician, I see the devastating impact that amputation has on people. They don't just lose a limb, they lose their confidence, their freedom, autonomy, and many lose the motivation to keep fighting their condition. We must increase awareness, provide timely diagnosis and treatment, and embrace the innovations that can reduce the number of amputations in the NHS," commented Professor Athanasios Saratzis, Professor of Vascular Surgery at the University of Leicester, and Royal College of Surgeons Vascular Specialty Lead.

"Every preventable amputation is a tragedy, not just for the patient but the loved ones around them. At Abbott, we are proud to support the AmpuNATION initiative to raise awareness of the signs of PAD to reduce the number of amputations," commented Jonathan Wood, regional director, Abbott Vascular, North Europe.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritional’s and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on X @AbbottNews.

Abbott Media:

Rebecca Rhodes, Public Affairs, Abbott UK
rebecca.rhodes@abbott.com
+44 (0)7741 10 15 86

Bill Ranatunga, Public Affairs, Abbott UK
william.ranatunga@abbott.com
+44 (0)7379 07 07 18

References

¹ State of the Nation Report, 2015. Diabetes UK. State%20of%20the%20nation%202014.pdf Accessed November 21 2024.
² WHO. Diabetes. https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/diabetes. Accessed November 7, 2024.
³ GBD 2019 Peripheral Artery Disease Collaborators. Global burden of peripheral artery disease and its risk factors, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet Glob Health. 2023;11 (10):e1553-e1565. Accessed November 21 2024.
⁴ Saratzis A, et al. Economic impact of limb-salvage strategies in chronic limb-threatening ischaemia: modelling and budget impact study based on national registry data. BJS Open. 2024;8(5):zrae09.
⁵ Singh S, et al. The prevalence of depression in people following limb amputation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychosom Res. 2024;181:111677.
⁶ Horvath L, et al Epidemiology of Peripheral Artery Disease: Narrative Review. Life (Basel). 2022;12(7):1041.
⁷ Ferguson H, et al. The influence of socio-economic deprivation on rates of major lower limb amputation secondary to   peripheral arterial disease. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2010;40(1):76-80.
⁸ Moving forward with research and care for diabetic foot disease. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2016;4(9):717.