One in Five Veterans Required Major Amputation After Minor Limb Loss

U.S. veterans face elevated limb-loss risk due to high rates of diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and a minor amputation is often not the end of the story.

The big picture

In a March 2026 study, researchers followed 62,295 veterans with both diabetes and PAD. Among those who had a minor amputation (toe or forefoot), 20.4% required a major amputation (below- or above-knee) within five years.

Key details

• Black and male veterans experienced disproportionately higher rates.

• VA outcomes matched non-VA Medicare patients with similar risk factors.

• Nearly half of minor-amputation patients received no follow-up podiatry care.

The good news: VA hospitals match civilian care on limb salvage.

The challenge: One in five patients still loses a limb, signaling urgent need for improved preventive and intervention strategies.