Limb salvage refers to a type of surgery that restores and reconstructs a limb after trauma, infection, or cancer have damaged it. The goal is to preserve the best possible functioning and appearance in the affected limb in an effort to avoid partial or complete amputation of the limb. Tissue is sometimes used from other parts of the body and placed onto the limb being treated.We offer particular expertise in treating the following problems:
- unstable scar and chronic wounds
- functionally limiting scar contracture (occurs when scar tissue from a large wound pulls the skin
together too tightly, restricting the natural movement of muscles and tendons) - tendon exposure
- bony non-union (failure of a broken bone to heal on its own)
- osteomyelitis (bone infection)
Our treatments are protocol driven, which increases the reliability of clinical decision making and allows necessary tests to be ordered in a timely manner. We offer the most advanced techniques to provide stable soft-tissue coverage.
- comprehensive wound care center
- biologic matrices (artificial skin)
- skin grafts
- flaps
- local muscle flap (utilizes muscle close to the wound, maintaining its blood supply)
- perforator/propeller flap (skin and fat only flaps close to the wound, maintaining its blood supply)
- free flap (tissue moved to the wound with blood vessels connected to a nearby artery, i.e. thigh skin to ankle wound)
