Lisfranc Amputation
Pronunciation: LIS-frank
A partial-foot amputation at the tarsometatarsal joint level, named after the French surgeon Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin.
Full Definition
A Lisfranc amputation is performed through the tarsometatarsal joints, removing all metatarsals and phalanges while preserving the entire hindfoot and midfoot. It is an eponymous term that must always be capitalised ('Lisfranc', not 'lisfranc'). Prosthetic management for Lisfranc-level amputees typically involves a custom partial-foot prosthesis or modified footwear with a toe filler. Editors must capitalise the proper noun component and distinguish this level from Chopart (midtarsal) and transmetatarsal amputations. The term appears frequently in vascular surgery, diabetic foot care, and rehabilitation documents.
Usage
Usage note: Always capitalise 'Lisfranc' as it is an eponym. Do not confuse with 'Lisfranc joint injury', which is a trauma diagnosis, not an amputation level.
In Context
- "Following a Lisfranc amputation secondary to diabetic gangrene, the patient was referred to prosthetics for a custom partial-foot device." — Vascular surgery discharge summary
- "The manuscript used 'lisfranc amputation' in lower case; the editor corrected this to 'Lisfranc amputation' per standard anatomical nomenclature." — Copy-editing note