Authors
Lauren M Hall, Julia Reilly, Mathew J Most, Jennifer Baima
Publication date
2019/2/22
Description
Background: Cancer rehabilitation is a rapidly growing diverse field in physiatry. This case provides an example where rehabilitation physiatrists played a crucial role in the pain management, education, and rehabilitation before and after a palliative amputation. Due to her limited resources, both in her home country and in her local community, she could not access appropriate care that may have prevented the need for amputation. Though amputation is not generally accepted as the first line of treatment for pain, there have been several reports of palliative amputation in metastatic cancer patients. In particular, fore quarter amputations have been reported in metastatic breast cancer patients to manage pain and recurrent fractures.