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What is Amputation?
Amputation involves losing a leg or arm or part of those limbs either in an accident, from birth, or surgery. Amputations can be of the upper or lower extremity. An upper extremity amputation occurs at some point along the hand or arm up to the shoulder. Lower extremity amputations, which are more common, occur along the foot and leg up to the hip.
Limb loss can occur before a child is born because of a problem with the fetus' development. More commonly, people have limbs amputated later in life because of circulation problems that keep the limb from functioning normally. About 75 percent of amputations occur because of other diseases, most notable diabetes. Other people have their limbs amputated because they are crushed in an accident.
To learn more about Amputation, please contact the Amputee Coalition of America at 888-267-5669. You can also visit them online at www.amputee-coalition.org.
Phone code: 1751
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