It is well known that lower limb amputations have a substantial impact on a patient′s physical capabilities and quality of life. This study was designed to develop a preoperative scoring tool to predict the probability of ambulation among patients receiving a lower limb amputation.

The authors identified variables suggested in the literature as being important to the functional outcomes of patients with amputations. Eight, preoperative variables were identified as potentially affecting the success of rehabilitation. These included, younger age (progressively scored as less likely to walk in age categories of 50 to 64, 65 to 74, 75 to 80 and over 80), male gender, lower body mass index (with scores worsening at 25 to 30 kg/m^2, 18.5 kg/m² or less and 40 kg/m² or greater), more distal amputation, trauma patients (with worse scores for amputations related to cancer, orthopedic and vascular), fewer medical comorbidities, (myocardial infarct, stroke, renal failure and severe respiratory disease), higher mobility preamputation and lack of cognitive impairment. A scoring system was created to reflect these variables.

Using the scoring system proposed in this tool, named the BLART tool, those with a score of 13 or above did not achieve a good functional outcome, and those with a score of 17 or more did not achieve any walking function.

This tool suggests that the BLART tool may be effective in providing an estimate of prognosis for pre-surgical lower limb amputation.