title: Limb amputations from the ancient times to the present.
abstract: Amputations, or the removal of limbs at different levels, have been performed since the ancient times. The first reports of amputations originate from the ancient ruins in Egypt, where primitive prosthetic toes were found in the tombs of the Pharaohs. In Europe, during the period of ancient Greece and Rome, various examples of amputations were described on amphoras and mosaics. During the middle ages, the body was marginalized and replaced by the worship of human spirituality. As a result reports of amputations from that time period are scarce. True development of amputation and prosthetic techniques took place during the Renaissance and centuries that followed. Present-day indications for amputation are similar to those utilized in the ancient times. The greatest development of limb amputation techniques and prosthetic methods began in the 20th century and continues to this day. Despite the development of new techniques in prosthetics, many solutions have their roots in designs originating in the ancient times and differ only in their structural design.
authors.affiliation: Department and Clinic of Rehabilitation, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Poznań, Poland. strylaw@gmail.com
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stryła
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pogorzała
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kasior
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowakowski
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000266:history*; D001186:Artificial Limbs / Q000266:history*; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008488:Medical Illustration / Q000266:history; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000266:history*; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000266:history; D013782:Textbooks as Topic / Q000266:history