[Limb amputations in the treatment of neuropathic pain--insanity or evidence-based medicine?]

Neuropathic pain is a diagnostically and therapeutically challenging problem. Its most typical manifestation is persistent burning pain that may be aggravated by surgical procedures, even by minor ones. Therefore the presumed pros and cons of surgical therapy of a patient suffering from neuropathic pain should be weighed with exceptional care in order to avoid unnecessary operations that could worsen the pain problem. We describe three patient cases, in which treating of difficult limb pain has been attempted by amputation.