What is Amputation—General Overview?

An amputation is a surgery to remove a body part. It is removed because of disease or damage.

Above the Knee Amputation © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

An amputation is typically done for one of the following reasons:

• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) causing:

• Gangrene
• Untreatable pain
• Severe soft tissue infection
• Severe trauma that can not be repaired
• Complications of diabetes
• Untreatable bone infection ( osteomyelitis )
• Malignant tumor
• Congenital deformity (present at birth)
• Severe frostbite
• Complications of connective tissue diseases, such as:

• Lupus
• Scleroderma

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have an amputation, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Poor healing at amputation site, resulting in the need for a higher level of amputation
• Skin breakdown
• Infection
• Bleeding
• Swelling at surgical site
• Phantom limb pain —feeling pain in amputated limb area
• Phantom sensation—feeling that amputated limb is still there
• Blood clots
• Complications of anesthesia

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Peripheral vascular disease
• Diabetes
• Infection
• Prolonged immobility
• Heart disease
• Smoking or lung disease
• Blood clotting disorders
• Certain medicines (eg, steroids)

Call Your Doctor

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