Other causes for amputation may include:

• Severe injury (from a vehicle accident or serious burn, for example)
• Cancerous tumour in the bone or muscle of the limb
• Serious infection that does not get better with antibiotic other treatment
• Thickening of nerve tissue, called a neuron

The Amputation Procedure

An amputation usually requires a hospital stay of five to 14 days or more, depending on the surgery and complications. The procedure itself may vary, depending on the limb or extremity being amputated and the patient’s general health.

Amputation may be done under general anaesthesia (meaning the patient is asleep) or with spinal anaesthesia, which numbs the body from the waist down.

When performing an amputation, the surgeon removes all damaged tissue while leaving as much healthy tissue as possible.