Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, and toes can all be amputated. In the United States, there are approximately
350,000 amputees, with some 135,000 new amputations occurring each year. The number of amputees worldwide is not currently...
known.
Here in the United States, the most common causes of amputation of the lower extremity are: disease (70%), trauma (22%), congenital or birth defects (4%), and tumors (4%). As for upper extremity amputation, it is usually performed because of trauma or birth defect. Seldom is disease as great a contributing factor. The causes of amputation differ significantly in various countries. For example, countries with a recent history of warfare and civil unrest will have a higher incidence of amputations, due to war itself or its technology (landmines, uncontrolled ordnance, etc).
Among the diseases and conditions that may lead to amputation of an extremity, the most prevalent are:
- hardening of the arteries
- arterial embolism
- impaired circulation as a complication of diabetes mellitus
- gangrene
- severe frostbite
- Raynaud's disease
- Buerger's disease
More than 90% of amputations performed in the United States are due to circulatory complications of diabetes. Sixty to eighty percent of these operations involve the legs.
Advertisement
As the title implies, this video describes how muscles work. It shows the anatomy of the muscle in relation to bone but also the structure of muscle at the microscopic level.
In an above-the-knee amputation, three incisions are made (A). First the skin and muscle layers are cut (B). The major blood vessels are clamped and severed (C). The bone is cut with a special saw (D). Finally, the muscles are stitched over the bone, and the skin is closed over the wound (E). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
Search
Other Information
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for such problems. A special case is the congenital amputation, a congenital disorder, where foetal limbs have been cut off by constrictive bands. In some countries, amputation of the hands or feet is or was used as a form of punishment for people who committed crimes. Amputation has also been used as a tactic in war and acts of terrorism. In some cultures and religions, minor amputations or mutilations are considered a ritual accomplishment. Unlike many non-mammalian animals (such as lizards that shed their tails), once removed, human extremities do not grow back. A transplant or a prosthesis is the only option for recovering the loss.
Other Information
Orthopedic complaints are the most common reason to seek medical care.
From: About.com
Find a Qualified Specialist
Looking for a specialist?
Please enter your zip code.