Traumatic Amputations Health Article

Definition

Traumatic amputation is the accidental severing of some or all of a body part. A complete amputation totally detaches a limb or appendage from the rest of the body. In a partial amputation, some soft tissue remains attached to the site.

Description

Trauma is the second leading cause of amputation in the United States. About 30,000 traumatic amputations occur in this country every year. Four of every five traumatic amputation victims are male, and most of them are between the ages of 15 and 30.

Traumatic amputation most often affects limbs and appendages such as the arms, ears, feet, fingers, hands, legs, and nose.

Causes and symptoms

Farm and factory workers have greater-than-average risks of suffering injuries that result in traumatic amputation. Automobile and motorcycle accidents and the use of lawnmowers, saws, and power tools are also common causes of traumatic amputation.

Blood loss may be massive or minimal, depending on the nature of the injury and the site of the amputation. Persons who lose little blood and have less severe injuries sometimes feel more pain than those who bleed heavily and whose injuries are life-threatening.

Diagnosis

When an injured person and the amputated part(s) reach the hospital, an emergency department physician will assess the probability that the severed tissue can be successfully reattached.

The mangled extremity severity score (MESS) assigns numerical values to such factors as body temperature, circulation, numbness, paralysis, tissue health, and the person's age and general health. This is one of the diagnostic tools used to determine the probability of success for reattachment surgery. The total score is doubled if blood supply to the amputated part has been absent or diminished for more than six hours.

A general, emergency, or orthopedic surgeon makes the final determination about whether surgery should be performed. The surgeon also considers an injured person's wishes and lifestyle. Additional concerns are how and to what extent the amputation will affect an individual's quality of life and ability to perform everyday activities.