High-resolution ultrasound findings in the symptomatic residual limbs of amputees.

INTRODUCTION

Amputations are increasingly prevalent because of medical complications associated with diabetes, meningitis, peripheral vascular disease, and neoplasms as well as road traffic accidents and war. The use of ultrasound (U/S) to diagnose the cause of pain in the residual limb of amputees is presented together with a review of the literature.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

133 civilian patients with one or more amputations were included in the study. They were seen over a 2-year period, at the Douglas Bader Unit, Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, Surrey, United Kingdom, in an outpatient setting. Patients were scanned using a Philips ATL/HDI 5000 U/S scanner.

RESULTS

There were 89 male and 44 female patients, age range 14 to 91 years, with a total of 136 amputated sites. 80% of amputations involved the lower limb. Neuromas were the most frequently found lesions, followed by inflammatory edema, soft-tissue calcifications, bony spurs, soft-tissue infection, overuse injuries, bursae, and skin lesions. Scar tissue, bony erosion, bone infection, aneurysm formation, venous thrombosis, and myodesis failure were less frequently seen.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a wide spectrum of lesions in the amputated limb, which can be visualized by high-resolution U/S. Neuromas were the most frequent lesions seen.