Providing that these stumps have well-nourished flaps, and that no sharp or angular bone ends interfere with subsequent comfort, and that the scars be kept away from their lower surfaces, they serve their purpose admirably.
Supposing, then, that amputation is to be about the middle, the first incision, made with a stout scalpel, is begun at the anterior border of the tibia and carried downward along it until it is turned abruptly backward to the posterior aspect, and then upward until a point is reached opposite that of commencement. The skin is dissected up for perhaps an inch. Then the flap on the other side is cut after the same fashion, after which, with a short or long knife, the muscles are divided transversely or circularly down to the bone. Much will depend now upon whether the desire is to resort to the more modern osteoplastic methods or adhere to the old. In the latter case it is well to separate the flaps for the necessary distance from the bone, with or without the periosteum, dividing the bones after suitable retraction, as above suggested. If preference be for an osteoplastic flap it is planned and made at this time, the bone being divided at the same level as the muscles, and the amputation being thus practically completed, after which the osteoplastic flap is arranged, it being now necessary to carefully preserve the periosteal bridge and to again divide the bone at the base of this periosteal flap, this being the true end of the bone stump. In this case the fibula is divided at a higher level.
It is perhaps less desirable to preserve periosteum in young children than in adults, for if bone be permitted to grow too rapidly conical stumps result, sometimes even with protrusion of bone ends. Ollier and his pupil Mondan have shown that this so-called atrophic elongation of bone is a consequence of abnormally rapid growth from the upper epiphyseal direction, permitted by lack of pressure from below, and that conical stumps will often happen in children in spite of every precaution. Nevertheless it should not be encouraged, and for this reason periosteum should not be preserved.
The method of Teale was to cut a long anterior flap, raising the coverings from the bone with the least possible disturbance, to divide the bone at the high level, then to double the flap upon itself in such a way as to bring the scar at a level one inch or more above the stump end. Heine modified this slightly by raising the periosteum with the rest of the anterior flap. In cases which permit such a long flap to be formed from one aspect of the leg the method gives excellent results ([Fig. 709]).
Fig. 709
Teale’s method of amputation.
Bruns devised a method which is begun almost as an exsection, by an oblique circular incision, with liberating lateral incisions, and division of all the tissues over the inner border of the tibia and the outer side of the fibula; after which, without disturbing skin attachments in front, the periosteum is separated from the bones as high as the liberating lateral incisions permit, and then the fibula first and later the tibia divided. It is practically a subperiosteal excision of the leg bones and affords a well-protected stump. In effect it is an anteroposterior flap method.
Fig. 710
