About "limb preservation" surgery
A deep experience with limb preservation
"Limb Preservation" surgery (what we used to call "Limb Salvage") is a topic near and dear to my heart. Although I do many different types of plastic surgery, I have invested a significant portion of my career in pushing the limits of Limb Preservation to help patients with grave wounds and injuries avoid having to have an amputation.
Giving people the power to simply walk unassisted is a an extremely profound outcome (one of the biggest factors that correlates to longevity), and there are so few surgeons who specialize in this. So many patients are simply told that their leg (or arm) "has to be amputated," because no one knows how to fix it. These unfortunate souls slip through the cracks of the medical system, because other doctors simply don't know that plastic surgery limb preservation services exist. And among plastic surgeons, probably 1% practice this type of surgery, for a variety of reasons.
Please note: I now practice in Royal Oak, Michigan - I no longer work at Washington University in St Louis. However, while I was there (for the better part of a decade), I co-founded and directed the Limb Preservation Program and had the opportunity to do rigorous research on coming up with solutions to save patients from undergoing amputation in the direst of cases. Click the image above to read some background on that portion of my career. I have now brought that experience to Southeast Michigan and am proud to offer that unique service here.
Please understand, however, that there are some situations where saving a limb will no longer benefit a patient - things are too far gone, and that person will actually function better with an amputation. This is why I have also developed expertise with amputations and achieving excellent, pain-free, highly functional results with amputations (see webpage on this site on amputations). However, knowing when the patient will benefit most from amputation or preservation ... this is the absolute key to the best outcomes for the patient and this decision can only realistically be made by a surgeon who is deeply aware of all possible advanced reconstructive and multidisciplinary options. Dive into this section of the website to learn about options for you or a loved one facing the prospect of amputation.