Phantom pain in bilateral upper limb amputation

• Published in: Disability and rehabilitation Vol. 31; no. 22; p. 1878
• Main Authors: Modirian, Ehsan, Shojaei, Hadi, Soroush, Mohammad Reza, Masoumi, Mahdi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2009
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Amputation Stumps; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Phantom Limb - epidemiology; Phantom Limb - therapy; Treatment Outcome; Upper Extremity - injuries; Upper Extremity - surgery; Warfare; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1464-5165
• DOI: 10.1080/09638280902810976

To alert health professionals on presence and extent of phantom pain and sensation following bilateral upper limb amputation. Of a total of 140 war-related bilateral upper limb amputees in Iran, 103 subjects were thoroughly examined in this cross-sectional study by a physical medicine specialist. The patients were questioned for the presence of phantom pain and sensations, and frequency and intensity of the feeling were recorded. At 17.1 +/- 6.1 years after injury, 82.0% of the 103 amputees suffered from phantom sensation, including varying degrees of phantom limb pain in 53.9% of stumps. Phantom phenomena had a higher frequency in the right extremities, but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.01). Of those amputees who had phantom pain or sensation, 51.2% reported that they 'always' had phantom limb sensation; and approximately one-fourth of the subjects (24.6%) 'always' had phantom pain. Among the stumps who reported phantom pain (N=112), the pain was excruciating (38.5%), distressing (34.9%) or discomforting (25.6%). A significant statistical relation between phantom limb sensation and level of amputation was observed (p < 0.01). At this time there is no healing for phantom pain; medical and surgical modalities only bring temporary relief, and less than 1% of the respondents achieve permanent relief through different treatment methods.