Amputation is a surgical procedure where a limb or part of a limb is removed from the body. It is often considered a last resort treatment option for conditions such as severe trauma, infection, or advanced stages of diseases like diabetes or cancer when other treatments have failed to alleviate the issue or restore function to the affected limb. The practice of amputation dates back almost 36,000 years ago as an almost unsurvivable and desperate method to save human life. However, amputation has evolved as medical technologies advance, significantly reducing the risks for individuals who undergo amputation.
Causes of Amputation
Traumatic Injury:
Can include car accidents, workplace incidents, sports-related mishaps, or violent encounters
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD):
Involves the blockage of arteries; Reduced blood flow can lead to tissue damage, chronic wounds, and non-healing ulcers
Diabetes:
Can lead to neuropathy (nerve damage) and peripheral vascular disease (blood vessel damage).
Cancer:
Can develop in the bones, muscles, or soft tissues of the limbs; amputation is required when unable to be treated by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgical resection while preserving the affected limb's function.
Severe Infections:
Can lead to tissue necrosis (death) and gangrene
Congenital Abnormalities:
Individuals born with limb abnormalities or congenital defects; restricts the development and function of their limbs
Severe Frostbite:
Causes tissue damage, tissue necrosis and gangrene
Types of Amputation
Although below-the-knee amputations are the most common, amputations also exist in the shoulder, ankle, and other parts.
Partial Toe or Finger Amputations
Transmetatarsal Amputations
removal of the metatarsal bones in the foot to address severe infections, gangrene, or trauma affecting the forefoot
Below the Knee (Transtibial) Amputations
Above the Knee (Transfemoral) Amputations
Partial Hand or Arm Amputations
Forequarter Amputation
Removal of the entire arm, including the shoulder joint and scapula
The Process of Amputation
After administering anesthesia to the patient, doctors use several methods to decide the area to cut and the amount of tissue required to remove
Comparing temperatures of the healthy limb and affected limb
Reddened skin
Checking the condition and sensitivity of the site
Finding a pulse close to the cut site
The procedure involves removing affected tissue and crushed bone, smoothing the uneven areas, sealing off blood vessels and nerves, and shaping muscles for a stump. Surgeons can choose to carry out closed amputation, which involves sewing the skin flaps right away, or leave it open if more tissue needs to be removed in the future.
Recover and Rehabilitation
The loss of a limb can impact people’s mental health, physical health, and their way of life. After amputation occurs, patients enter the rehabilitation process, also known as rehab.
Immediate Postoperative Care:
comprehensive care to manage pain, prevent infection, and promote healing; including pain medication, wound care, and physical therapy to regain strength and mobility.
Prosthetic Fitting
prosthetic devices may be fitted to help restore function and mobility. Prosthetic limbs are custom-designed to fit the individual's residual limb and may include components such as sockets, joints, and feet or hands.
Physical Therapy
improves strength, flexibility, and coordination. This may include exercises to strengthen muscles, improve balance, and adapt to using a prosthetic limb
Psychological Support
Coping with limb loss can be emotionally challenging, and patients may benefit from counseling or support groups to address feelings of grief, loss, and adjustment.
Reference List
“Amputation: We Answer Your Most-Searched Questions.” Healthline, 31 Mar. 2022, www.healthline.com/health/amputation#causes.
“General Principles of Amputation Surgery.” Orthop.washington.edu, orthop.washington.edu/patient-care/limb-loss/general-principles-of-amputation-surgery.html.
Gonzalez-Fernandez, Marlis. “Amputation: Recovery and Rehabilitation.” Www.hopkinsmedicine.org, 8 Aug. 2021, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/amputation/amputation-recovery-and-rehabilitation.
Mary Anne Dunkin. “Amputation Overview.” WebMD, WebMD, 30 Jan. 2012, www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/definition-amputation.
Physiopedia. “Amputations.” Physiopedia, 2014, www.physio-pedia.com/Amputations.
Sachs, Michael, et al. “Historical Evolution of Limb Amputation.” World Journal of Surgery, vol. 23, no. 10, Oct. 1999, pp. 1088–1093, https://doi.org/10.1007/s002689900628.
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