Painful and nonpainful phantom and stump sensations in acute traumatic amputees.

Background: The formation, prevalence, intensity, course, and predisposing factors of phantom limb pain were investigated to determine possible mechanisms of the origin of phantom limb pain in traumatic upper limb amputees.

Methods: Ninety-six upper limb amputees participated in the study. A questionnaire assessed the following question: side, date, extension, and cause of amputation; preamputation pain; and presence or absence of phantom pain, phantom and stump sensations or stump pain or both.