An elderly woman with severe peripheral vascular disease undergoes a through-knee amputation in which the articular cartilage of the patella is removed and the patella is fixed to the end of the femoral condyles. This technique, valued because it creates a broad end-bearing stump, is called:

• A Callander amputation
• B Stokes-Gritti modification of hip disarticulation
• C Gritti-Stokes amputation ✓
• D Sarmiento amputation

Explanation

The Gritti-Stokes amputation is a through-knee (transcondylar) amputation in which the patella is denuded of cartilage and attached to the sawn femoral condyles, producing a rounded, end-bearing stump that tolerates direct axial loading. Callander described a through-knee amputation without patellar attachment, Sarmiento described a below-knee technique, and the third option is a fabricated combination. End-bearing capacity is the defining feature asked here.

Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.