lamputation

Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb. A less common variant spelling, lamputation, appears in historical or lay usage but is not typically used in professional texts. Amputation may be performed to save life or to improve function when a limb is no longer viable due to injury, infection, cancer, or severe disease.

Common indications include severe traumatic injury with non-viable tissue, peripheral vascular disease (often associated with diabetes) causing nonhealing wounds, malignant tumors of bone or soft tissue, or extensive infection. Elective amputation may be chosen when other treatments fail or to enable a prosthetic limb.

Types include level and extent: upper or lower limb, with specific levels such as above-knee, below-knee, above-elbow, or below-elbow; partial or complete removal. Timing is described as primary (at initial surgery) or secondary (after failed healing or infection). Surgical goals include durable soft-tissue coverage and a stump shaped for prosthetic fitting, with muscle and nerve balancing as needed.

Rehabilitation begins after wound healing and involves wound care, edema management, range of motion, strengthening, and desensitization. Prosthetic rehabilitation is common and may involve multidisciplinary teams. Pain management includes addressing phantom limb phenomena with medications, mirror therapy, and other modalities. Complications include infection, hematoma, residual limb pain, neuroma, contractures, and prosthesis intolerance.