Why amputees

There is also a risk that the foot and leg become inflamed more quickly because blood flow is disrupted by diabetes and the cells die off. The frequency of amputations after accidents — including for example work and traffic accidents — has decreased considerably in the Western world.

There are many reasons for this, including higher occupational health and safety standards. Progress in the fields of intensive care and surgery means that nerves, vessels, bones and soft tissue of injured limbs can be restored in many cases, so an amputation as the last resort is unnecessary.

Amputations due to cancer are relatively rare. Frequently however, there are tumours close to the knee or in the area of the hip. About half of all amputations in the area of the hip and pelvis are due to tumours. The goal of an amputation in such cases is to save the patient's life by preventing the spread of cancer cells that would affect other parts of the body.

Since Louis Pasteur described the effect of antibiotics in , amputations due to infections have become extremely rare. The high antiseptic standards in medical care and tetanus shots are another reason for the decrease. Nevertheless, you need to be vigilant even with the tiniest injury. Signs of inflammation include reddening, swelling, fever and wound pain.

Also check whether your tetanus protection is still up to date. With an Above Knee transfemoral prosthesis using the C-Leg knee joint, for example, it is possible to place weight on both legs while lowering yourself to a seated position. This is a significant factor in reducing strain on the sound side, helping to reduce overuse. For the same reason, you should place weight equally on both legs while sitting down and getting up with a transtibial below knee prosthesis.

The loss of one or more limbs raises a lot of questions. If you don't find the answer to one of your questions here, ask your prosthetist, therapist, or doctor. Your rehabilitation team is best able to evaluate your individual situation. Different types of pain can occur in a residual limb after an amputation. These can include, among other things, bone pain, wound pain, nerve pain or phantom pain. Talk to your therapy team about steps you can take to limit or do away with the pain.

After an amputation, sensitivity problems can occur on the residual limb. These unfamiliar sensations often normalize by themselves after a while. However, you can speed up this process by stroking the skin of your residual limb with a terry towel or a soft brush.

Your therapy team will likely have other suggestions about steps you can take. Your residual limb is still swollen and the skin is sensitive after the operation. To get into your prosthesis as soon as possible after amputation surgery, work closely with your team and do the rehabilitation exercises consistently. How long you require in order to tap the full potential of your prosthesis depends on many factors, including the reason for the amputation, amputation level, condition of the residual limb, and your overall ability.

This also depends on various factors. Please talk to your therapy team and contact the department of motor vehicles in your state. Your ability to ride your bicycle depends on the amputation level and the type of prosthesis.

In all cases, try riding on a stationary bicycle first and only switch to a normal bicycle after a successful experience with the stationary bicycle. Your everyday prosthesis is not suitable for swimming or taking a shower.

Talk to your prosthetist about a specialized swimming prosthesis. Depending on your occupation, you can go back to work with your prosthesis. If you perform a job that is physically demanding, you should inform your prosthetist before your prosthesis is made, in order to best determine which components might be right for you. Various terminal devices, such as the Ottobock System Greifer or Michelangelo Hand are recommended for specific tasks.

You will likely, however, need new liners or limb socks on a regular basis. Talk to your prosthetist about which liners will work best for you and your prosthesis. Wiggle Your Toes Foundation. National Amputee Centre Canada. Disabled Sports USA. Challenged Athletes Foundation. Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Home Prosthetics Info for new amputees Information for lower limb amputees and their families.

Information for lower limb amputees and their families. Initial examinations If you are to undergo planned amputation surgery, you will be examined in detail several times before the surgery. Psychological support An amputation is a big change in your life and it may be helpful to get psychological counseling.

Talking to other amputees We also recommend that you talk with peers who have also undergone amputation surgery. The term amputation level is used to describe the location at which the body part is amputated. After amputation Immediately after the operation, the focus will be on your recovery and the healing of your residual limb. What should you expect after an amputation? Correct positioning Immediately after the operation you will probably not be able to lie still for longer periods or to turn over in bed by yourself.

Wound healing of the residual limb When you wake up from the anesthesia, your leg will have likely been treated with simple bandages or a plaster cast with a small drainage tube leading out of it. Compression therapy With the aid of pressure applied to the residual limb over a large surface area, swelling edema of the residual limb can be reduced and the residual limb can be formed for the future prosthetic fitting.

Bandaging Compression bandages are applied using a special wrapping technique after the wound bandage or residual limb cast is removed. Residual limb compression socks Compression socks can also be used instead of bandages.

Silicone liners In addition to elastic bandages and residual limb socks, silicone liners offer a further method for achieving compression.

Caring for the residual limb Although the nursing staff and the doctors were initially cleaning the wound and changing the bandages, now that you are in the rehabilitation phase you will be caring for your residual limb and your sound leg yourself. How to properly care for your residual limb Your therapist will show you how to properly care for your residual limb.

Preparatory therapy exercises following surgery In order for your body to be well prepared for the next treatment steps and so that you remain mobile, exercises to strengthen the trunk, arm, and leg muscles are highly recommended.

Immediate and early fitting In some cases, an initial prosthesis may be fit about 10 days after a lower limb amputation. Fitting and rehabilitation. The rehabilitation process Your treatment team will decide when you can start with intensive rehabilitation based on how your recovery is going.

There are several non-invasive techniques that may help relieve pain in some people. They include:.

Research has shown that people who spend 40 minutes a day imagining using the part of their limb that was amputated, such as stretching out their "fingers" or bunching up their "toes", experience a reduction in pain symptoms. This may be related to the central theory of phantom limb pain. Researchers think the brain looks to receive feedback from an amputated limb, and these mental exercises may provide an effective substitute for this missing feedback.

Another technique, known as mirror visual feedback, involves using a mirror to create a reflection of the other limb. Some people find that exercising and moving their other limb can help relieve phantom pain.

The loss of a limb can have a considerable psychological impact. Many people who've had an amputation report emotions such as grief and bereavement, similar to experiencing the death of a loved one. Coming to terms with the psychological impact of an amputation is therefore often as important as coping with the physical demands.

Having an amputation can have a considerable psychological impact for three main reasons:. Negative thoughts and emotions are common after an amputation. This is particularly true in people who've had an emergency amputation because they don't have time to mentally prepare for the effects of surgery. Common emotions and thoughts experienced by people after an amputation include:.

People who've had an amputation as a result of trauma particularly members of the armed forces also have an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD.

Talk to your care team about your thoughts and feelings, particularly if you're feeling depressed or suicidal. You may need additional treatment, such as antidepressants or counselling , to improve your ability to cope after having an amputation. Being told you need to have a limb amputated can be a devastating and frightening experience. Adjusting to life after an amputation can be challenging, but many people enjoy a good quality of life once they have managed to adapt.

There are a number of charities that can provide advice and support for people living with amputations, which include:. Page last reviewed: 12 August Next review due: 09 August Why amputation may be needed An amputation may be needed if: you have a severe infection in your limb your limb has been affected by gangrene often as a result of peripheral arterial disease there's serious trauma to your limb, such as a crush or blast wound your limb is deformed and has limited movement and function Assessment before surgery Unless you need to have an emergency amputation, you'll be fully assessed before surgery to identify the most suitable type of amputation and any factors that may affect your rehabilitation.

How amputations are done Amputations can be done under general anaesthetic where you're unconscious or using either an epidural anaesthetic or spinal anaesthetic both of which numb the lower half of the body. Recovering after an amputation After surgery, you'll usually be given oxygen through a mask and fluids through a drip for the first few days while you recover in a ward.

Compression garments You'll notice swelling oedema of the stump after surgery. Rehabilitation Physical rehabilitation is an important part of the recovery process. Going home and follow-up The length of time it will take before you're ready to go home will depend on the type of amputation you've had and your general state of health. Prosthetic limbs After an amputation, you may be able to have a prosthetic limb fitted.

If you're able to have a prosthetic limb, the type of limb that's recommended for you will depend on: the type of amputation you had the amount of muscle strength in the remaining section of the limb your general health tasks the prosthetic limb will be expected to perform whether you want the limb to look as real as possible or you're more concerned with function If it's thought that you would find it difficult to withstand the strain of using a prosthetic limb, a cosmetic limb may be recommended.

Preparing to have a prosthetic limb fitted If a prosthetic limb is suitable for you, you'll begin a programme of activities while still in hospital to prepare for the prosthesis.

Skin desensitisation involves: gently tapping the skin with a face cloth using compression bandages to help reduce swelling and prevent a build-up of fluid inside and around the stump rubbing and pulling the skin around your bone to prevent excessive scarring Your physiotherapist will teach you exercises to strengthen the muscles in your remaining limb and improve your general energy levels, so you're able to cope better with the demands of an artificial limb.

Stump care It's very important to keep the skin on the surface of your stump clean to reduce the risk of it becoming irritated or infected.

Check your stump carefully every day for signs of infection, such as: warm, red and tender skin discharge of fluid or pus increasing swelling Contact your care team for advice if you think you may be developing a skin infection.

Caring for your remaining limb After having a leg or foot amputated, it's very important to avoid injuring your remaining "good" leg and foot, particularly if your amputation was needed because of diabetes. Complications Like any type of operation, an amputation carries a risk of complications.

Complications associated with having an amputation include: heart problems such as heart attack deep vein thrombosis DVT slow wound healing and wound infection pneumonia stump and "phantom limb" pain In some cases, further surgery may be needed to correct problems that develop or to help relieve pain. The surgeon can take steps during the amputation surgery to address the nerves that carry sensations back to the brain that affect pain and phantom sensations.

These steps do not eliminate the problems but can reduce the overall risk of them happening and the extent to which they occur. The nerve procedures may also be performed later for patients who have already had an amputation and are still experiencing severe nerve pain.

In the early part of their recovery, patients who have lost a foot or leg are at risk for falling. This is especially likely if they try to get out of bed at night and forget that the amputation has occurred. These falls can be serious, and can cause further damage to the surgical site that requires additional care — perhaps more surgery.

Placing a walker or wheelchair next to the bed can remind you not to attempt standing and walking without assistance. Rehabilitative therapy and exercises performed while looking in a mirror can help the patient adapt to the loss of the limb and avoid falling. Uncontrolled pain can be a complication of any surgery, and the amputation team works hard to make sure pain is manageable.

Pain control regimens may begin before surgery if possible. A peripheral nerve block might be necessary to control pain and phantom limb sensations. Health Home Treatments, Tests and Therapies.

What You Need to Know Amputation can be traumatic due to an accident or injury or surgical due to any of multiple causes such as blood vessel disease, cancer, infection, excessive tissue damage, dysfunction, pain, etc. What are the causes of amputation? Amputation for Severe Infection Severe sepsis is also called septicemia or blood poisoning. What is congenital amputation? Types of Amputation Surgery The surgical approach depends on the affected body part, the reason for the amputation and the extent of bone and tissue damage.

The Amputation Surgery Team Orthopaedic and orthopaedic oncologic surgeons work with a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, along with a range of nurses and surgical technologists, to perform a surgical amputation procedure. Some of the common amputation approaches include: Standard Amputation The surgeons remove the limb, and anchor muscles to the cut end of the bone and cover it with skin.