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Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma (also referred to as avulsion) or surgery. A special case is the congenital amputation, a congenital disorder, where foetal limbs have been cut off by constrictive bands. 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 some countries, amputation of the hands or feet is sometimes used as a form of punishment for criminals. In some cultures and religions, minor amputations or mutilations are considered a ritual accomplishment. Unlike some animals, (such as lizards which shed their tails), once removed, human extremities do not grow back. A transplant or a prosthesis are the only options for recovering the loss.[1]