Persistent residual limb pain is common after traumatic amputation and significantly impairs rehabilitation and prosthetic use. Postoperative stump infection may contribute to peripheral nerve sensitization, scar fibrosis, and long-term pain persistence. This prospective cohort study aims to determine whether early post-amputation stump infection independently predicts persistent clinically significant residual limb pain at 3 and 6 months after surgery.
Patients undergoing traumatic limb amputation will be enrolled within 4 weeks after surgery and followed for 6 months. Early postoperative stump infection will be recorded using predefined clinical criteria. Pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale), neuropathic pain screening (DN4), and phantom limb pain will be assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression will be used to evaluate whether stump infection is independently associated with persistent residual limb pain, adjusting for amputation level, injury mechanism, revision surgeries, antibiotic exposure, and demographic factors.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
150
Persistent Clinically Significant Residual Limb Pain
Presence of clinically significant residual limb pain defined as Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) ≥4 at rest or during movement at 3 months after amputation.
Time frame: 3 months
Persistent Residual Limb Pain at 6 Months
NRS ≥4 at rest or during movement at 6 months after amputation.
Time frame: 6 months
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