Managing Amputation/ Limb Salvage after Cancer Therapy

What are amputation and limb salvage?

Amputation is when a part of your body, like an arm or leg, is removed. Limb salvage is when only some of the body part is removed, and not the whole limb. Some cancers can be treated with amputation or limb-sparing surgery. After these surgeries, some survivors will get a prosthesis, which is an artificial limb or other body part.

When should I call/follow up with my care team?

Survivors who have an amputation, prosthesis, or limb salvage surgery will need close follow-up with their surgical team. Survivors who are still growing may need to follow up often during growth to ensure that the prosthesis is adjusted with growth.

If you have new pain or discomfort in an area that has had surgery, you should contact your healthcare team. Though rare, surgical infections can happen as phantom limb pain which is pain at the site of a removed limb. After you have surgery and have healed,  physical therapy should be started to maximize function. If there is a change in prosthesis or symptoms, then you might have physical therapy months to years after your initial surgery. More surgeries are not common after you have had the initial one, but may be needed. Some survivors who have had these types of surgeries have changes to their daily life that need accommodations in school or work. Oncologic or surgical teams should be able to give you documentation for these accommodations.