Amputation

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/amputation

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary indications for amputation?Limb-threatening ischemia, malignant tumors, intractable infections, and severe trauma
2. What is the key historical advancements?Anesthesia (19th century) and antisepsis (late 19th century) revolutionized surgical outcomes
3. Why do doctors sometimes have to cut off a limb?Doctors do amputation when other treatments can't fix a problem, like when blood can’t reach the limb, when a bone cancer is too big, or when an infection won’t go away. It stops the danger from spreading to the rest of the body.
4. When is amputation the best choice instead of saving the limb?If a limb is dying because of no blood flow, or if a tumor could spread to other parts, or if an infection keeps getting worse, doctors decide amputation is safer. They talk with many specialists to choose the best plan.

Ischemia: A condition where blood flow to a part of the body is restricted, leading to tissue damage.
Metastasis: The spread of cancer cells from the original tumor to other parts of the body.
Myoelectric Prosthetics: Artificial limbs controlled by electrical signals generated by the user's own muscles.
Phantom Limb Pain: Sensations, often painful, that are perceived as originating from a limb that has been amputated.