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Spinal anaesthesia for patients with previous lower limb amputations
Author(s) -
Tessler M. J.,
Kleiman S. J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1994.tb03483.x
Subject(s) - medicine , phantom limb , phantom pain , amputation , phantom limb pain , spinal anesthesia , lower limb , anesthesia , regional anaesthesia , incidence (geometry) , limb amputation , surgery , lower limb amputation , optics , physics
Summary Phantom limb pain has been reported as a transient phenomenon in patients with lower limb amputations during subsequent spinal anaesthesia. In order to determine its incidence and to define any predisposing factors we prospectively studied 23 spinal anaesthetics in 17 patients with previous lower limb amputation. Only one patient developed clinically significant phantom limb pain and we were unable to define any predisposing factors. Given the low incidence of recurrent phantom limb with spinal anaesthesia, its transient nature, and the fact that it can be treated if it occurs, we conclude that spinal anaesthesia is not contraindicated in patients with previous lower limb amputation.