title: The Boyd amputation as a treatment for osteomyelitis of the foot.
abstract: The Boyd amputation is a surgical technique used to treat osteomyelitis of the foot. This amputation is a technically more difficult procedure to perform than the Syme amputation, but it offers certain advantages. The Boyd amputation provides a more solid stump because it preserves the function of the plantar heel pad. Also, because a portion of the calcaneus is left and fused to the tibia, the weightbearing surface is more solid than in the case of a Syme amputation. The authors recommend a Boyd amputation as an alternative to a Syme or a below-the-knee amputation to treat patients with osteomyelitis of the forefoot and midfoot.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Chicago Health Care System, Westside Division, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Grady
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Winters
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005528:Foot / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology