What is foot amputation surgery?

Foot amputation is surgery to remove part or all of your foot. Your doctor will leave as much healthy skin, blood vessel, and nerve tissue as possible. You will be asleep during the surgery.

Your doctor will tell you how much of your foot should be removed. Your doctor will leave enough healthy skin to cover the residual limb or the remaining part of your foot. Some people get an artificial foot. This is called a prosthesis. If you get one, your doctor will shape the remaining part of your leg or foot for the best possible fit.

Your doctor may sew the skin closed to cover the residual limb or remaining part of your foot. Or your doctor may leave it open to make sure that it heals as it should. In this case, the skin may be sewn together several days later. Or it may be left open to heal on its own. Skin that is left open can take a few months to close.

How long you will stay in the hospital after surgery depends on how much of your foot was removed. It also depends on your general health. You may need physical rehabilitation (rehab) after the surgery. Rehab can sometimes start within 48 hours of your surgery. It may last as long as 1 year.

Having part or all of your foot removed is traumatic. Learning to live with new limitations can be hard and frustrating. You may feel depressed. Or you may grieve for the lifestyle you used to have. Talking with your family, friends, and health professionals about your frustrations may help. You may also find that it helps to talk with a person who has had an amputation.

Remember that even though losing part or all of your foot is a challenge, it does not change who you are or prevent you from enjoying life. You will have to adapt and learn new ways to do things. But you will still be able to work and take part in sports and activities. And you can still learn, love, play, and live life to its fullest.

Many organizations can help you adjust to your new life. For example, you can find information at amputee-coalition.org.

Activity

• Be active. Talk to your doctor about what you can do. If you are active and use your remaining limb or foot, it will heal faster.
• You may shower when your doctor okays it. Wash the remaining limb or foot with mild soap and water, and pat it dry. You may need help doing this at first.
• You may be able to drive when you finish your rehab and have an artificial foot or prosthesis. You may need to adapt your car to your situation.
• You will probably be able to return to work and your usual routine when your remaining limb or foot heals. This may be as soon as 4 to 8 weeks after surgery.

Diet

• You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
• You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Try to avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. Take a fiber supplement every day. If you have not had a bowel movement after a couple of days, ask your doctor about taking a mild laxative.

Medicines

• Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. The doctor will also give you instructions about taking any new medicines.
• If you stopped taking aspirin or some other blood thinner, your doctor will tell you when to start taking it again.
• Be safe with medicines. Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
  • If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
• If you think your pain medicine is making you sick to your stomach:
  • Take your medicine after meals (unless your doctor has told you not to).
  • Ask your doctor for a different pain medicine.
• If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.

Remaining limb or foot care

• You may have bandages, a rigid dressing, or a cast on your remaining limb or foot. Your doctor will tell you how to take care of it. Depending on your dressing and the doctor's instructions:
  • Check your remaining limb or foot daily for irritation, skin breaks, and redness. Tell your doctor about any problems you see.
  • Wash your remaining limb or foot with mild soap and warm water every night. Pat it dry.
• If you have a temporary artificial foot, remove it before you go to sleep.

Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.

Preparing for surgery

• You may need to shower or bathe with a special soap the night before and the morning of your surgery. The soap contains chlorhexidine. It reduces the amount of bacteria on your skin that could cause an infection after surgery.
• Be sure you have someone to take you home. Anesthesia and pain medicine will make it unsafe for you to drive or get home on your own.
• Understand exactly what surgery is planned, along with the risks, benefits, and other options.
• If you take a medicine that prevents blood clots, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it before your surgery. Or your doctor may tell you to keep taking it. (These medicines include aspirin and other blood thinners.) Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Tell your doctor ALL the medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies you take. Some may increase the risk of problems during your surgery. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the surgery and how soon to do it.
• Make sure your doctor and the hospital have a copy of your advance directive. If you don’t have one, you may want to prepare one. It lets others know your health care wishes. It’s a good thing to have before any type of surgery or procedure.

Foot amputation is surgery to remove part or all of your foot. Your doctor left as much healthy bone, skin, blood vessel, and nerve tissue as possible.

After a foot amputation, you will probably have bandages, a rigid dressing, or a cast over the remaining part of your leg or foot. The leg or foot may be swollen for 4 weeks or longer after your surgery. If you have a rigid dressing or cast, your doctor will set up regular visits to change the dressing or cast and check the healing. If you have elastic bandages, your doctor will tell you how to change them.

You may have pain in the remaining part of your foot. You also may think you have feeling or pain where your foot was. This is called phantom pain. It is common and may come and go for a year or longer. Your doctor can give you medicine for both types of pain.

You may have been fitted with a temporary artificial foot while you were still in the hospital. If this is the case, your doctor will teach you how to care for it. If you are getting an artificial foot or prosthesis, you may need to get used to it before you go back to work and your other activities. You will probably not wear it all the time, so you may need to learn how to use a wheelchair, crutches, or other device. You may have to make changes in your home. Your workplace may be able to make allowances for you.

Having part or all of your foot removed can be traumatic. And learning to live with new limits can be hard and frustrating. Many people feel depressed and may grieve for their former lifestyle. It's important to understand these feelings. Talking with your family, friends, and health professionals about your frustrations is an important part of your recovery. You may also find that it helps to talk with a person who has had an amputation.

Remember that even though you've lost a foot, it doesn't change who you are or prevent you from enjoying life. You'll have to adapt and learn new ways to do things. But you can still work and take part in sports and activities. And you can still learn, love, play, and live life to its fullest.

Many organizations can help you adjust to your new life. For example, you can find information at amputee-coalition.org.

• Follow the instructions exactly about when to stop eating and drinking. If you don't, your surgery may be canceled. If your doctor told you to take your medicines on the day of surgery, take them with only a sip of water.
• Follow your doctor's instructions about when to bathe or shower before your surgery. Do not apply lotions, perfumes, deodorants, or nail polish.
• Do not shave the surgical site yourself.
• Take off all jewelry and piercings. And take out contact lenses, if you wear them.

At the hospital or surgery center

• Bring a picture ID.
• The area for surgery is often marked to make sure there are no errors.
• You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. You will be asleep during the surgery.
• The surgery will take about 30 to 60 minutes.

If you have diabetes, a minor foot injury, like a blister, can develop into an ulcer or serious infection.

Infections of the feet can spread to the leg. Sometimes the infection is so severe that toes, the foot, or part of the leg must be removed by surgery (amputation).

Amputations are done if the foot or leg can't be saved or if there is major tissue damage. Doctors save as much of the foot or leg as possible. They try to make sure that the remaining part of the limb will heal to avoid more surgeries.

If you need an amputation, talk to your doctor about the benefits. Amputation can relieve pain, as well as get rid of the infection and the need for strong antibiotics. A serious infection can be life-threatening. An amputation may save your life.

Having an amputation can be difficult. If you want support, ask your doctor about counseling.