Decrease in phantom limb pain associated with prosthesis-induced increased use of an amputation stump in humans.
The experience of phantom limb pain, non-painful phantom limb sensation and telescoping was ascertained by questionnaire in a group of upper extremity amputees wearing a functionally effective Sauerbruch prosthesis which permits extensive use of the affected limb and in a group of patients wearing a cosmetic prosthesis that did little to increase the utilization of the amputation stump. The Sauerbruch prosthesis group exhibited a significant and large decrease in amount of phantom limb pain while the cosmetic prosthesis group showed no change. Neither group experienced a decrease in non-painful phantom limb sensation or telescoping. The amount of phantom limb pain has been found to be highly correlated with the amount of injury-related, afferent-decrease cortical reorganization. It is possible that the increased use of the amputation stump induced by wearing a Sauerbruch prosthesis produced a countervailing use-dependent, afferent-increase type of cortical reorganization that reversed the phantom limb pain. These preliminary results require replication. Their therapeutic implications are discussed.
Weiss
T
T
Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Psychology, Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, Jena, Germany.
Miltner
W H
WH
Adler
T
T
Brückner
L
L
Taub
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010591:Phantom Limb / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires