Amputation surgery is usually undertaken when a person’s leg or arm is posing a threat to his overall wellness. A doctor may decide to amputate a limb when there is injury due to trauma or a disease that obstructs a person’s circulation to the limb. The goal of amputation surgery is to remove enough of the damaged or diseased limb in order to correct the issue, while still leaving as much of the remaining limb, called a residual limb, as possible. The residual limb is important because it is where the prosthetic limb will attach. How much of the limb that is removed during amputation surgery may depend on many factors, including how well the residual limb will heal after surgery.
Amputation surgery can often involve the removal of one or both of the legs or arms. If the surgery is done on the legs, it is called lower limb amputation surgery, and if it is the removal of the arms, it is an upper limb amputation. The surgery may also be classified as minor or major. Minor surgery can involve the removal of structures such as the finger or toes, while major surgery may involve the removal of the leg below or above the knee and the arm below or above the elbow. In some cases of upper limb amputation, the surgeon may even have to remove the entire forequarter, including the clavicle and scapula.
One of the factors a doctor may consider before determining how much of the limb to amputate is how quickly the residual limb will heal. The amputation point should occur in a place where there is enough blood flow to promote healing. Should there not be enough blood flow, the wound may not heal properly and problems may ensue. A surgeon may also consider the patient’s recovery when deciding how much of the limb to amputate. The longer the residual limb, the easier it may be for a person to use a prosthetic limb, and so a surgeon may try to leave as much of the limb as possible.
When undergoing amputation surgery, a patient is put under anesthesia. The surgeon will then remove the portion of the limb he has decided to remove. To do this, he may have to cut through bone, blood vessels, and other structures. Often, a portion of the skin and muscles is left to wrap around the end of the residual limb. The wound is then sewn or stapled closed, though in some cases of minor amputation surgeries, the wound is left open to heal on its own.
An amputation surgery can take from one to four hours. After the surgery, a patient is usually taken to a recovery room to be monitored before going to his hospital room, where he will stay for about seven days. During this time, a medical professional may remove any drainage tubes inserted into the limb to remove excess fluid, and physical therapist may also start the patient with rehabilitation. In addition, a patient may be fitted with a temporary prosthetic limb before he leaves the hospital.