After enduring a workplace accident, you learned you must undergo an amputation. What options should you explore with your medical team?
Johns Hopkins Medicine breaks down various surgical options for amputation. Understand your choices, so you may build a stronger legal case and get the compensation you deserve.
Standard amputation
During a standard amputation procedure, the surgeon removes the affected limb and attaches muscle to the bone before covering it with skin. Depending on whether the patient receives a prosthetic limb, the terminal limb may require ample soft tissue padding, so the patient handles the weight of the prosthetic without pain, degrading tissue or risk of infection.
Osseointegration
During an osseointegration procedure, doctors remove the affected limb and insert a steel implant in the remaining bone for the prosthetic. When doctors perform the medical procedure for a leg amputation, osseointegration helps the hip and leg bones bear weight better, which doctors prefer to the remaining soft tissue bearing the patient’s weight. This allows the person to walk and stand more naturally.
Rotationplasty
While reserved for cancer patients with tumors, you may still want to discuss rotationplasty with your physician. During the procedure, the surgeon amputates the cancerous limb before turning around and reattaching healthy tissue. For instance, during a knee amputation, the medical team may rotate and reconnect the lower leg, turning the ankle joint into a substitute knee.
Amputation could be your most favorable option for recovering as much as possible from your workplace accident. When you have the facts on various amputation surgeries, you may make well-informed decisions about your medical care.
