Limb Loss

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Prevention and Risk Factors

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues

See, Play and Learn

• No links available

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• No links available

For You

• Children
• Older Adults
• Patient Handouts

Summary

People can lose all or part of an arm or leg for many reasons. Common ones include:

• Problems with the flow of blood through your body. These may be the result of atherosclerosis or diabetes. Severe cases may result in amputation (the surgical removal of a limb).
• Injuries, including from traffic accidents and military combat.
• Cancer.
• Birth defects.

Some amputees have phantom pain, which is the feeling of pain in the missing limb. Other physical problems include surgical complications and skin problems if you wear an artificial limb. Many amputees use an artificial limb. Learning how to use it takes time. Physical therapy can help you adapt.

Recovery from the loss of a limb can be hard. Sadness, anger, and frustration are common. If you are having a tough time, talk to your health care provider. Treatment with medicine or counseling can help.

Start Here

• Points to Know and Consider When Preparing for and Undergoing an Amputation (Amputee Coalition of America)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Amputations (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) - PDF
• Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention (American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Emotional Recovery (Amputee Coalition of America)
• Management of Residual Limb Pain (Amputee Coalition of America)
• Rehabilitation After Limb Amputation (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish
• When a Parent Loses a Limb: Helping Children Cope (Amputee Coalition of America)

Related Issues

• Importance of Gait Training (Amputee Coalition of America) - PDF
• Residual Limb Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Tips for Taking Care of Your Limb (Amputee Coalition of America)
• Wound Care: Preventing Infection (Amputee Coalition of America)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Amputation (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Amputation, Traumatic (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Amputees (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Artificial Limbs (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Phantom Limb (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF DEPRESSION AMONG AMPUTEES IN QUETTA REGION.
• Article: Controlling Powered Prosthesis Kinematics Over Continuous Inter-Leg Transitions Between Walking and...
• Article: Advantages of customization of osseointegrated implants in transfemoral amputees: a comparative...
• Limb Loss -- see more articles

Children

• Missing or Incompletely Formed Limbs (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Older Adults

• Coping with Aging and Amputation (Amputee Coalition of America)

Patient Handouts

• Foot amputation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Leg amputation - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Leg or foot amputation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Leg or foot amputation - dressing change (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Phantom limb pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Traumatic amputation (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish