Amputation, << `am` pyuh TAY shuhn, >> is the process of cutting off a limb, part of a limb, or another part of the body. Amputation may be necessary as a result of severe injury, infection, tumor, or other diseases.
Before surgery, the patient is given an anesthetic. The body part to receive the incision is cleaned, disinfected, and protected with a drape. The surgeon uses a tourniquet (tight cloth wrapped around the limb) to stop the flow of blood through the large vessels of the limb (see Tourniquet ). The soft tissues are cut apart in a way they can be used to cover the end of the bone.
Before cutting through the bone, the surgeon severs and ties the blood vessels to prevent bleeding. The surgeon then saws through the bone. After this, the tourniquet is released. In most amputations done under war conditions, the wound cannot be closed immediately because of danger of infection. In such cases, healing takes many weeks. In most cases resulting from injury in civilian life, the wound can be sewed up right after the amputation. The most common dangers are infection, hemorrhage, and shock.
