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Delayed Diagnosis Leads to Amputation
27 May
Summary
- Peripheral arterial disease progressed unnoticed for years.
- Multiple health professionals missed key PAD symptoms.
- Amputations were deemed preventable by experts.
A 79-year-old man, Nic Olsen, experienced unbearable leg pain for several years, initially misattributed to a spinal issue. Despite numerous consultations with various health professionals, his condition was not diagnosed until October 2024 as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). By this time, the disease had progressed to a critical stage.
The Olsens report visiting doctors, podiatrists, and orthopaedic specialists more than 20 times. Symptoms like non-healing foot ulcers, thickened toenails, and hair loss on his feet were overlooked. A Doppler scan finally revealed no blood flow in his feet, a crucial diagnostic step that had been missed earlier.
Surgical attempts to treat Nic's PAD in March and shortly after July 2025, including angioplasty and bypass procedures, were unsuccessful. This led to the amputation of his right leg below the knee in April 2025, followed by the amputation of his left leg through the knee in July 2025.
Researchers from the University of Leicester are spearheading the 'Are Your Legs Killing You?' campaign to raise PAD awareness. Vascular surgery professor Athanasios Saratzis stated that PAD affects about one in five people over 55, and many diagnoses are delayed, making amputations, which are often preventable, a consequence.
