Can Bed-Side Grief Counseling Sessions Enhance Recovery in a Patient With Posttrauma Amputation? A Case Report

Abstract

Amputation is the surgical removal of all or part of a body part. It demands an adjustment in almost every sphere of a person’s life in addition to physical disability. An amputee faces problems in almost every psychosocial sphere. 1 , 2 Along with physical pain in the stump, patients may experience phantom sensations. 3 – 5 Patients may also grieve, feel depressed, and anxious 3 , 6 , 4 , 7 or have posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. 8 , 9 They may be apprehensive about their future plans and inconclusive regarding life challenges. Grief is one of the most common reactions to amputation, 10 , 1 , 7 but often gets neglected in intensive surgical units. 1 Many times, grief reactions are not resolved, turning into complicated grief or prolonged grief, leading to conditions like depression, anxiety, or even suicide. This article is about an attempt to help a patient initiate the grieving process for healthy outcomes.