[Postamputation phantom limb pain -- comes the solution into view?]

About 70 % of amputees will suffer from phantom limb pain sooner or later. Nearly all of the amputees will feel some phantom sensations. Phantom limb pain not only impairs quality of life, but also impedes considerably social rehabilitation. Therefore effective strategies of prevention and treatment are urgently required. So far, none of the more than 40 treatment methods has proven to be really effective. It is to be expected that the latest theories regarding the emergence of phantom limb pain, which were developed on the basis of modern neuroimaging techniques, will lead to considerable progress. Accordingly the key to success is influencing cortical reorganization and preventing or extinguishing a pain memory. The demonstrable influence on central activities implicates several preventive and therapeutic modalities, i. e. absolute analgesia before amputation for a longer period of time and reduction of cortical reorganization by drugs, behaviour interventions and/or suggestion.