Neuroma formation following digital amputations

One hundred consecutive patients with 144 digital amputations performed at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center between 1978 and 1980 were retrospectively reviewed. In this group, four patients demonstrated painful amputation stumps. Two of these were treated by surgical excision of neuromas and two patients, who had more vague complaints, were treated by desensitization which decreased the sensitivity of their stumps and allowed them to return to work. It is felt that this low incidence of painful neuromas and amputation stumps is due to the positive postoperative effort to send patients back to work as soon as possible, allowing them to perform their own therapy and thereby minimizing their disability and tendency to develop pain problems.