RUSSIA Video shows a surgical above-the-knee amputation of a young man’s lower limbs. He likely fought on the Ukrainian front and suffered severe injuries, which would be consistent with the setting that resembles a field hospital. However, this information has not been confirmed.
Although an amputation might seem like a quick and straightforward procedure, the reality is quite the opposite. In addition to correctly identifying the incision site, all major arteries and veins must be carefully tied off to prevent bleeding. To minimize the risk of phantom limb pain, all nerves must be properly severed. They are cut with a sharp instrument while under tension, so they retract into the body. The bone must also be treated appropriately, and the stump shaped correctly to ensure that wearing a prosthetic limb is as comfortable as possible for the patient. I’m not sure, however, that this is an example of a proper amputation.
