Civil War Amputations Essay

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How War has Advanced the Development of Amputations and Prostheses Emma Johnston Global Learning Charter Public School Abstract The greatest advancements in medicine and technology occur during war time. War brings explosions, unsanitary environments, injuries, and infections, all factors in the need for amputations. An amputation is the surgical removal of a part of a limb or extremity. During the Civil War, over 30,000 amputations were performed on American soldiers, since then technology and surgical techniques have evolved, improving the process and increasing survival rates. Surgeons have researched and developed different approaches to provide care for all types of amputations, ranging from those who suffer…show more content…
The most common surgeries performed during the war remembered as the “bloodiest conflict on American soil” were amputations of extremities. The majority of Civil War wounds were caused by deadly bullets, and because of these bullets over 70,000 soldiers lost limbs between 1861 and 1865. Over seventy percent of war wounds during this time affected the limbs of soldiers, and amputations were necessary. When a soldier was shot with a bullet during a battle, an amputations was performed on the battlefield in order to keep the soldier alive. Amputations became the treatment of choice during battles to avoid death of…show more content…
The function of the skeletal system is to hold the body in an upright position, maintain its form, and provide movement. The muscular system provides the force and power needed to move the body. During an amputation, the surgeon must divide muscles in the remaining part of the limb, in order for a prosthetic limb to fit the residual limb comfortably. After an amputation, a patient must learn to bear weight on their remaining limb and learn to move again. A patient will receive physical therapy that is designed specifically for their needs, in order to retrain their body to function without the amputated
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