[Problems of peripheral nerve surgery in amputation stump pain and phantom limbs]

Follow-up examination of 17 patients with severe and lasting stump and phantom limb pain which could not be improved by analgetics and who then underwent surgical procedures at the neuroma. The results were discouraging. Only 2 patients showed a lasting improvement. Resection of the neuroma and injection of alcohol into the neuroma seem to be successful only if the preoperative history of pain is very short or if there is an isolated injury of a peripheral nerve and a subsequent single neuroma.