The metabolic cost of lower extremity amputation.

Amputation surgery should be approached as the first step in the rehabilitation of a patient with a non-functioning, salvageable limb. Before performing amputation surgery, the rehabilitation team should have an understanding of outcome expectations for the individual patient. Biologic joints are energy couples. When performing amputation surgery, more proximal amputations, accompanied by the removal of more joints, decreases the ability of patients to walk and live independently. Functional outcome appears to increase with the length of the residual limb.