Pain after amputation

Amputation of a body part, whether as a result of trauma or surgical intervention, is almost always associated with awareness of, and sensations referred to, the missing body part. These sensations were first noted by Ambroise Pare, a French military surgeon in the middle of the 16th century. Mitchel first used the term `phantom' in 1871 from his observations and medical studies of the American civil war. Three phenomena occur after amputation -(i) phantom sensation, (ii) stump pain and (iii) phantom pain. While limbs are most commonly involved, the same problems can occur with teeth, breast and rectum.