Amputation - a surgical removal of all or part of a limb. Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for such problems. In Islamic countries, amputation of the hands or feet is sometimes used as a form of punishment for criminals.