ABSTRACT
Amputation is one of the earliest recorded operative procedures in the history of mankind. There is evidence that amputations were preformed as early as the Neolithic era. Hammurabi, King of Babylon (1792-1750 B.C.), dictated the use of amputation as a punishment for offenders, including surgeons who killed or blinded their patients during treatment (1). A few cultures still use amputation as a punishment today, mainly for thieves. The most important year in the history of amputation was probably 1338, the year in which gunpowder was introduced. Subsequently, surgery evolved along with the history of war, and military surgeons led the way in improving surgical techniques and perioperative care.
