Amputation is surgery to remove all or part of a body appendage, usually a limb or extremity (an arm, leg, hand or foot). You might need surgery to amputate a body part if it’s too sick or injured to save and it endangers other parts.

A below-the-knee amputation is surgery to remove your leg below the knee. Your doctor removed the leg while keeping as much healthy bone, skin, blood vessel, and nerve tissue as possible.

Jun 12, 2023 · Above-the-knee amputations (AKA) involve removing the leg from the body by cutting through both the thigh tissue and femoral bone. This procedure may be necessary for a wide variety of reasons, such as trauma, infection, tumor, and vascular compromise.

Mar 31, 2022 · Doctors typically divide amputation types first into upper amputations and lower amputations. Upper amputations involve the fingers, wrist, or arm. Lower amputations involve the toes, ankle, or...

Aug 7, 2024 · If you’ve had a lower limb amputation or were born with a congenital limb deficiency, you might benefit from a prosthetic leg. For the right candidate, a prosthetic leg can improve your mobility, independence and quality of life.

Nov 22, 2019 · Whether you lost a limb to cancer, trauma, or other means, knowing some shortcuts around the household to help you live as an amputee can be helpful. Follow up amputee care isn’t talked about much, but it’s an essential and vital part of not only your happiness, but health and recovery.

For patients facing an amputation, the rehabilitation process starts, when possible, even before the surgical procedure. This is called “pre-hab.” Physical medicine and rehabilitation experts can work with you to create an individualized plan and prepare you for what’s ahead. Your rehabilitation team may include:

Feb 5, 2022 · Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a limb or extremity such as an arm, leg, foot, hand, toe, or finger. About 1.8 million Americans are living with amputations. …

Lower extremity amputation is performed to remove ischemic, infected, necrotic tissue or locally unresectable tumors and, at times, is a life-saving procedure. Peripheral artery disease, alone or in combination with diabetes mellitus, contributes to more than one-half of all amputations; trauma is the second leading cause.

Prosthetic legs, or prostheses, can help people with leg amputations get around more easily. They mimic the function and, sometimes, even the appearance of a real leg. Some people still need a cane, walker or crutches to walk with a prosthetic leg, while others can walk freely.