Amputation

Amputation is surgery to remove all or part of a limb or extremity. You may need an amputation if you’ve undergone a severe injury or infection or have a health condition like peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Many people live a healthy, active lifestyle after an amputation, but it may take time to get used to life without a limb.

If tissue destruction, infection or disease affects a body part in a way that makes it impossible to repair or endangers the person’s life, that part may be removed by surgical amputation. Trauma or disease that cuts off blood flow to a body part for an extended time can also cause tissue death requiring an amputation.

Amputation is surgery to remove all or part of a limb or extremity (outer limbs). Common types of amputation involve:

• Above-knee amputation, removing part of the thigh, knee, shin, foot and toes.
• Below-knee amputation, removing the lower leg, foot and toes.
• Arm amputation.
• Hand amputation.
• Finger amputation.
• Foot amputation, removing part of the foot.
• Toe amputation.

Causes

Amputation can be necessary to keep an infection from spreading through your limbs and to manage pain. The most common reason for an amputation is a wound that does not heal. Often this can be from not having enough blood flow to that limb.

After a severe injury, such as a crushing injury, amputation may be necessary if the surgeon cannot repair your limb.

You also may need an amputation if you have:

• Cancerous tumors in the limb.
• Frostbite.
• Gangrene (tissue death).
• Neuroma, or thickening of nerve tissue.
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), or blockage of the arteries.
• Severe injury, such as from a car accident.
• Diabetes that leads to nonhealing or infected wounds or tissue death.

Amputation Procedure

In amputation surgery, Orthopedic surgeon of Shreya Hospital removes all diseased tissue. They will keep as much healthy tissue intact as possible. An Orthopedic Surgeon  will plan a surgery that sets you up for the best function after you recover. They include plans for a prosthetic (artificial replacement limb) if you will have one.

During the procedure, your surgeon:

• Removes damaged tissue and crushed bone.
• Smooths any uneven bone.
• Seals the blood vessels to prevent bleeding.
• Shapes the muscles so that the stump (end of the limb) can be fitted with a prosthetic limb if desired.
• Places a sterile dressing (bandage) over the wound.

Your surgeon may use stitches or staples to sew the stump closed immediately. Or your surgeon may wait a few days to allow your wound to drain.