What is Amputation or Limb Loss

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. • Chapters • 0:00 Introduction • 0:25 Reasons for Amputation • 1:28 ,The Amputation Procedure • 2:46 Rehabilitation after Amputation • • • • • Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, hand, toe, or finger. • About 1.8 million Americans are living with amputations. Amputation of the leg -- either above or below the knee -- is the most common amputation surgery. • Reasons • • There are many reasons an amputation may be necessary. • • The most common is poor circulation because of damage or narrowing of the arteries, called peripheral arterial disease. • • Without adequate blood flow, the body's cells cannot get the oxygen and nutrients they need from the bloodstream. • • As a result, the affected tissue begins to die and infection may set in. • • Other causes for amputation may include any of the following: • Diseases, such as blood vessel disease (called a peripheral vascular disease or PVD), diabetes, blood clots, or osteomyelitis (an infection in the bones). • Injuries, especially of the arms. • Seventy-five percent of upper extremity amputations are related to trauma. • Surgery to remove tumors from bones and muscles. • Cancerous tumor in the bone or muscle of the limb • Serious infection that does not get better with antibiotics or other treatment • Thickening of nerve tissue called a neuroma • Frostbite • The Amputation Procedure • •An amputation usually requires a hospital stay of five to 14 days or more, depending on the surgery and complications. • •The procedure itself may vary, depending on the limb or extremity being amputated and the patient's general health. • •Amputation may be done under general anesthesia (meaning the patient is asleep) or with spinal anesthesia, which numbs the body from the waist down. • •When performing an amputation, the surgeon removes all damaged tissue while leaving as much healthy tissue as possible. • •A doctor may use several methods to determine where to cut and how much tissue to remove. These include: • •Checking for a pulse close to where the surgeon is planning to cut • •Comparing skin temperatures of the affected limb with those of a healthy limb • •Looking for areas of reddened skin • •Checking to see if the skin near the site where the surgeon is planning to cut is still sensitive to touch • •During the procedure itself, the surgeon will: • •remove the diseased tissue and any crushed bone • •Smooth uneven areas of bone

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