There are many causes for amputations, from traumatic injury to illnesses, such as sepsis. According to the Amputee Coalition, there are approximately 2 million people in the country who have some sort of amputation and there are about 185,000 amputations each year. Approximately 1% of sepsis survivors undergo one or more surgical amputations of a limb or digit as a result of sepsis.

The decision of how much of a limb to amputate is based on making sure enough tissue is removed to make sure all the damaged tissue is gone, but also trying to preserve your independence and mobility as much as possible. It’s important to understand though that sometimes after surgery begins, the surgeon may have to do a larger amputation than originally planned. It all depends on the condition of the muscles and the skin and sometimes the surgeon sees something that wasn’t expected.

Once the amputation is complete, the surgeon has two options: leave the site open or close it up right away. An open site, where the incision is not sewn or stapled closed, allows the doctors and nurses to monitor for and remove any infected tissue that might have been left behind. If the surgeon chooses this approach, the flap will be closed up once the site is completely clean and infection-free.

The length of time to recover from an amputation depends on many things:

• The location
• The number of limbs amputated
• The reason for the amputation
• The medical condition of the patient following the surgery

Ideally, you would begin physical therapy as soon as possible. Physical therapy may include stretching and increasing muscle strength or learning how to transfer from a bed to a chair if a leg or legs were amputated. Occupational therapists also play an important role in helping amputees learn how to use special tools or adapt their living environment as needed.

How long it takes for the limb to heal depends on many things, but the ideal healing time for the incisions is about four to eight weeks.

Pain can be a big issue for amputees. You have the pain from the amputation, but you may also experience phantom limb pain – pain coming from the limb that is no longer there. It’s estimated that as many as 80% of amputees feel some level of phantom pain. This type of pain can be hard to manage because it’s not understood. However, that doesn’t mean you have to suffer needlessly. There are treatments that have been successful for some people, but you may have to try different approaches before you find one that works for you.

The move from amputation to prosthetics can be a fast one. If you are strong enough and are healing well, you could try a temporary leg prosthetic within a week or two of the amputation. It is important to get up and moving about as quickly as possible to prevent physical complications and also for mental and emotional well-being.

As with just about everything else in life, there’s no one-size-fits all type of prosthetic. What works for one person who may have a similar amputation as you, may not work for you, and the other way around. The people who design the limbs and the physiotherapists use their expertise to try to find the best match for each person. Some prosthetics are purely cosmetic, others are mechanical, and yet other, newer ones, are robotic. There’s a tremendous amount of research going on to help improve the lives of amputees who rely on prosthetics. Remember, it may take a good bit of trial and error to get your prosthesis to be as good as it can be for you.

When you get a new prosthetic, you must watch for signs of sores on your skin from pressure or rubbing against the device. Any wound is vulnerable to infection, so if you notice a sore forming, inform your healthcare team as quickly as possible. Your device may need alterations. Watch for signs of infection:

• Increasing redness around the sore
• Pus or discharge
• Increased pain
• Foul odor

If you notice any signs, seek medical help immediately. The quicker an infection is spotted and treated, the lesser the risk of developing sepsis.