Disarticulation of the knee. A modified technique.

Knee disarticulation provides an excellent level of amputation in the lower extremity, particularly of the younger, active male amputee. Many surgeons, particularly in England, still prefer knee disarticulation when major amputation is required for peripheral vascular disease. Its use has been restricted over the years, largely because of certain prosthetic problems associated with fitting the standard prosthesis. Modification in surgical techniques to allow the incorporation of modern prosthetic design and materials will enlarge the range of usefulness of through-knee amputation. This is particularly true as it relates to the knee control mechanism of the prosthesis. The surgical modifications presented in this report allow modern prosthetic application to the amputation, with maximum functional benefit and retention of the basic functional advantages of amputation at this level.