The Operation

Reasons for amputation
Amputation occurs for a variety of reasons. The most common one is poor circulation in the legs. When the blood supply to the tissues of an extremity is inadequate, it puts the rest of the body under great strain. This may even be life threatening. Amputation can help relieve pain and allow the individual to recover.

Preparation
Blood samples will be taken before the operation, and often X-rays, as well as an electrocardiogram (ECG). Sometimes additional medical tests are needed. You will meet with an anesthesiologist who, together with you, will decide what kind of anesthesia you will have. Often it is a spinal anesthesia (epidural), or in some cases general anesthesia is preferred. Either way you will experience no pain during the operation.

After the amputation
The first few hours after the operation will be spent in the recovery room, and then you will be transferred to a ward. If you have received a urine catheter (a tube to pass urine from the body) before or during the operation, it will typically be removed the following day. Usually you will be given an injection daily to avoid blood clots. Antibiotics are also used to avoid infections.

Dressings and sutures
A rigid dressing is often put on the remaini ng part of the leg (the residual limb) immediately following amputation, and left there for some days. The rigid dressing protects the wound and helps reduce swelling. The doctor will decide when it's time to remove the sutures and this is usually about three weeks after the operation.

Pain
After amputation it is normal to experience pain in your residual limb and also to feel pain where your limb used to be. The latter is called phantom pain and is not uncommon. You can receive painkillers and the pain usually decreases with time.