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Types of Amputation
and Reasons for Amputation
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.
Types of amputation
include:
- leg
- amputation of
digits
- partial foot
amputation (Chopart, Lisfranc)
- ankle
disarticulation (Syme, Pyrogoff)
- below-knee
amputation (transtibial)
- knee-bearing
amputation (knee disarticulation)
- above knee
amputation (transfemoral)
- Van-ness rotation/rotationplasty
(Foot being turned around and reattached to
allow the ankle joint to be used as a knee.)
- hip disarticulation
- hemipelvectomy
- arm
- amputation of
digits
- metacarpal
amputation
- wrist
disarticulation
- forearm amputation
(transradial)
- elbow
disarticulation
- above-elbow
amputation (transhumeral)
- shoulder
disarticulation and forequarter amputation
- Krukenberg
procedure
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Reasons for Amputation
- Cancerous bone or soft
tissue tumours (e.g. osteosarcoma,
osteochondroma, fibrosarcoma, epithelioid
sarcoma, synovial sarcoma)
- Severe limb injuries in
which the limb cannot be spared or attempts to
spare the limb have failed
- Circulation problems
- Deformities of digits
and/or limbs (e.g. Polydactyly or more than the
normal number of fingers and/or toes)
- Any advanced cancers
- Gangrene
- Bone infection (osteomyelitis)
- Traumatic amputation
(Amputation occurs actually at scene of
accident, the limb can be partially or wholly
severed)
- Amputation in utero
(Amniotic band)
- Punishment/Torture (e.g
in some countries, for example the Muslim world,
theft is prevented by the threat of amputation
of a hand, although the practice is highly
controversial and some Islamic authourities are
calling for a moratorium upon it, pending
developments in Islamic law.)
- Sometimes professional
athletes may choose to have a non-essential
digit amputated to relieve chronic pain and
impaired performance. Daniel Chick elected to
have his left ring finger amputated as chronic
pain and injury was limiting his performance.
Rugby union player Jone Tawake also had a finger
removed.
Self Amputation
In some rare
cases when a person has become
trapped in a deserted place, with no
means of communication or hope of
rescue, the victim has amputated his
own limb:
- In
2007, 66-year old Al Hill
amputated his leg below the knee
using his pocketknife after the
leg got stuck beneath a felled
tree he was cutting in
California.
- In
2003, 27-year old Aron Ralston
amputated his forearm using his
pocketknife and breaking and
tearing the two bones, after the
arm got stuck under a boulder
when hiking in Utah.
- Also in
2003, an Australian coal miner
amputated his own arm with a
Stanley knife after it became
trapped when the front-end
loader he was driving overturned
three kilometers underground.
- In the
1990s, a crab fisherman got his
arm caught in the winch during a
storm and had to amputate it at
the shoulder, as reported in The
New Englander.
Notable Amputees
-
Rick Allen Drummer for the
band Def Leppard; lost his left
arm in a car accident.
-
Daniel Ken Inouye Medal of
Honor recipient, Hawaiian born
U.S. Senator of Japanese
heritage; WWII war hero; lost
his right arm due to battle
wounds.
-
Tony Iommi Guitarist for the
bands Black Sabbath and Heaven
and Hell; lost the tips of the
middle and ring fingers on his
right hand while working in a
sheet metal factory at the age
of 18.
-
Terry Fox Canadian athlete and
cancer treatment activist; lost
a leg to cancer.
-
Zach Gowen American
professional wrestler; lost a
leg to cancer as a child.
-
Bionica von Takedown American
roller derby girl; lost her leg
in automobile accident.
-
Bethany Hamilton American
surfer; lost an arm to a shark
attack
-
Oscar Pistorius South African
sprinter; lost both lower legs
due to a congenital disorder.
-
Heather Mills English model;
lost the right leg after a hit
by police motorcycle in London.
-
Aimee Mullins American model
and athlete; lost both legs due
to congenital disease.
-
Darνo Silva Uruguayan
footballer; lost his right leg
after a car accident
-
Alex Zanardi Italian car
racing driver; lost both legs in
a CART car accident at
Lausitzring
- This article is licensed
under the
GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the
Wikipedia article "Amputation".
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