Phantom limbs and related phenomena in recent traumatic amputations

Abstract

Seventy-three soldiers who had traumatic amputations were examined from 1 to 6 months after limb loss. All experienced phantom limb sensations and 67 percent experienced phantom limb pains, usually transient. Stump pain occurred in 43 percent and was associated with phantom pain in 54 percent of these. Of the 23 percent of the entire group who had evident stump pathology, 33 percent had phantom pains only, 20 percent had stump pains only, 40 percent had both, and 7 percent were pain-free. All stump ends exhibited an area of hyperpathia with hypoesthesia. Phantom pain probably results from peripheral or spinal cord mechanisms, or both, rather then from more rostral mechanisms.