Amputation
Overview
Amputation is the removal of a limb or part of a limb—surgically cutting through flesh, bone, blood vessels, tendons, and nerves. This surgery is performed in extreme situations, such as when there's no blood flow to the area, there's a life-threatening infection that cannot be otherwise controlled, or a crush injury results in irreparable neurovascular and bone damage.
This drastic change can affect physical and mental health as it challenges mobility and independence. It can also lead to numerous complications, including chronic pain. The first known instance of an amputation occurred about 31,000 years ago, with fossil evidence suggesting a young adult survived and healed after having their lower left leg amputated.
Globally, traumas are the leading cause of amputation, primarily from incidents including falls, car accidents, and mechanical forces. But diabetes accounts for the majority of non-trauma-related lower-limb amputations, leading to about 160,000 amputations annually in the US—or roughly one limb amputation every 3.5 minutes. Prosthetic quality and access are making constant advances, due partly to 3D printing, cutting-edge bionic prosthetic research, and ongoing work with neural interfaces.
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