This paper reviews different types of treatment of the amputation stump. Following an examination of the historical development there are sections on bandaging, semi-rigid dressings, rigid cast dressing and controlled environment treatment. The merits and demerits of each type of treatment are discussed.
References
1.
BakerW. H.BarnesR. W.ShurrD. G. The healing of below knee amputations: a comparison of soft and plaster dressing. Am. J. Surg.1977; 133: 716–718
2.
BerlemontM. Notre experience de l'appareillage précoce des amputées des membres inférieuses aux établissments Heliomarins de Berck. Ann. Med. Phys.1961; 4: 213
3.
BlömerA. Praxis der Neofract-Technik. Georg. Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart1978
4.
BurgessE. M.RomanoR. L. The management of lower-extremity amputees using immediate postsurgical prostheses. Clin. Orthop.1968; 57: 137–146
5.
ChantA. D. B. The effects of posture, exercise and bandage pressure on the clearance of 24Na from the subcutaneous tissues of the foot. Br. J. Surg.1972; 59: 552–555
6.
GhiulamilaR. I. Semi-rigid dressing for post-operative fitting of below-knee prosthesis. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil.1972; 53: 186–190
7.
HusniE. A.XimenesJ. O. C.HamiltonF. G. Pressure bandaging of the lower extremity: use and abuse. J.A.M.A.1980; 206: 2715–2718
8.
IsherwoodP. A.RobertsonJ. C.RossiA. Pressure measurements beneath below-knee amputation stump bandages: elastic bandaging, the Puddifoot dressing and a pneumatic bandaging technique compared. Br. J. Surg.1975; 62: 982–986
9.
JohnsonH. D. Mechanics of elastic bandaging (Correspondence). Br. Med. J.1972; 3: 767–768
10.
Lippman and Mcmaster. Comments made at a 2-day meeting on pressure measurements at the Prosthetics Centre of the Veterans Administration1972
11.
LittleJ. M. The use of air splints as immediate prostheses after below-knee amputation for vascular insufficiency. Med. J. Aust.1970; 2: 870–872
12.
MooneyV.HarveyJ. P.McBrideE.SnelsonR. Comparison of postoperative stump management: plaster vs soft dressing. J. Bone Joint Surg.1971; 53A: 241–249
13.
RedheadR. G. The problems of the postoperative “stump/environment interface”Proceedings of the 1st International Congress on Prosthetics Techniques and Functional Rehabilitation, Vienna, 1973; 65–73, 1
14.
RedheadR. G.SnowdonC. A new approach to the management of wounds of the extremities: controlled environment treatment and its derivatives. Prosthet. Orthot. Int.1978; 2: 148–156
15.
SherM. H. The air splint: an alternative to the immediate postoperative prosthesis. Arch. Surg.1974; 108: 746–747
16.
SpiroM.RobertsV. C.RichardsJ. B. Effect of externally applied pressure on femoral vein blood flow. Br. Med. J.1970; 1: 719–723
17.
TaylorF. W. Evolution of Amputation. Am. J. Surg.1933; 22: 364–370, (New Series)
18.
TroupI. M. Controlled environment treatment (CET): the use of a new concept of wound environment in amputation surgery and other conditions of the extremities. Prosthet. Orthot. Int.1980; 4: 15–28
19.
WeissM. The prosthesis on the operating table from the neurophysiological point of view. Report of the Workshop Panel on Lower Prosthetic Fitting. February, 6–91966. National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Prosthetic Research and Development, Washington, D.C.1966
20.
WoodJ. E. The venous system. Sci. Am.1968; 218(1)86–96
