To evaluate the effects of epidural, spinal, and general anesthesia on pain after lower-limb amputation.
Cross-sectional survey.
Postamputation clinic.
150 patients who were evaluated one to 24 months after their lower-limb amputation.
Patients received epidural, spinal, or general anesthesia for their amputation.
Standardized questions were used to assess stump pain, phantom sensation, or phantom limb pain preoperatively and postoperatively. Pain intensity was assessed on a verbal rating scale of 0 to 10. After the interview, each patient's medical history and anesthetic record were assessed.
Patients who had received epidural anesthesia and those who had received spinal anesthesia recalled significantly less pain in the week after their surgery (P