The role of peripheral nerve surgery in the treatment of chronic pain associated with amputation stumps.

Background: Debilitating pain following amputation surgery can seriously affect the long-term success of the operation and the patient's quality of life. Often, such patients are unable to ambulate because of pain when using a prosthesis; become grouped in the chronic pain category; and are treated with high-dose narcotics, antidepressants, or other methods to treat symptoms that may provide little or no relief. Little attention has been given to the role of peripheral nerve surgery as an early treatment option.