University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository
Specialty
Trauma Surgery
Advisor
Tom Colletti, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Abstract
Phantom limb pain pertains to the experience of painful sensations in an amputated limb. It is highly prevalent and negatively impacts patients’ quality of life. Its pathophysiology is not well understood and therefore the ideal treatment approach for the management of this phenomenon has not been established with many interventions aimed at managing established symptoms rather than preventing them. We present a case of a 58-year-old female who underwent a below-knee amputation of her right lower extremity with the application of cryoanalgesia to the tibial, deep peroneal, and superficial peroneal nerves. The patient reported no phantom limb pain for three months following her surgery. A novel approach using cryoanalgesia applied at the time of amputation may prevent the development of phantom limb pain following surgical amputation of an extremity. Given the various postulated theories related to the origins of PLP, it is imperative to determine the role that cryoanalgesia may have in the prevention of this diagnosis.
Recommended Citation
O'Connor LA. Cryoanalgesia During Surgical Amputation of the Lower Extremity Prevents the Development of Phantom Limb Pain: A Case Report. University of Lynchburg DMSc Doctoral Project Assignment Repository. 2023; 5(1).
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