Advanced Amputation
Rebuilding limbs and restoring lives
When you experience a traumatic injury or you’re facing the loss of a limb due to cancer or another serious condition, you may feel like your limb will never look or function the same again. More importantly, you might think you won’t be able to do the activities you love. At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, our experts have established the Limb Restoration Program to make you feel whole again and help you achieve the life you want following trauma.
We’ve assembled a top-notch team of plastic and orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, mental healthcare providers and others to bring you comprehensive care, from stabilizing your injury to helping you recover and thrive. When you’ve been told elsewhere, “There’s nothing we can do,” that’s where we specialize. At Ohio State, we truly believe complex problems require collaborative solutions, and our unique team would love to partner with you.
What is limb restoration?
Limb restoration is a caring, yet sophisticated, approach designed to help you regain comfort, function and confidence in your limb after a traumatic injury or diagnosis. Instead of focusing solely on keeping the limb intact, limb restoration looks at every possible way to improve your quality of life.
This can involve advanced treatments or, in some cases, thoughtfully planned amputation if it offers better function. Goals for limb restoration prioritize your personal needs, which may include:
- Improved function, including gaining the ability to walk again
- Relief from pain and better pain management
- Enhanced cosmetic appearance of the limb
- Renewed ability to participate in physical activities and sports
- Greater independence
But limb restoration isn’t just surgeries and procedures. Many nonsurgical interventions, such as physical therapy, mental healthcare, pain management and infection control, help produce successful outcomes for the people we treat. We accomplish these goals and more through this unique team effort.
About our multidisciplinary team
The comprehensive approach used in our Limb Restoration Program combines the talents of many specialists and sub-specialists working collaboratively toward restoring your quality of life. Often, you'll encounter doctors, nurse practitioners and other providers from more than a dozen different medical specialties during your time with us.
From the orthopedic surgeons and plastic surgeons working together in the operating room to the social workers, physical therapists and other team members helping you manage your recovery, we'll be with you every step of the way. Then, we'll communicate and collaborate with you and your local care team, making sure your transition back home to your community goes smoothly.
Specialized limb restoration services
While we have a wide variety of treatment options and services available through our Limb Restoration Program, our main areas of focus include amputation, orthopedic trauma to the limbs and orthopedic oncology, mainly sarcoma.
Who’s a candidate for limb restoration?
Limb restoration can benefit anyone who has lost function or is experiencing pain in their arms or legs, no matter where they are in their recovery. We often work with trauma surgeons at the time of injury, but we also treat people who’ve been dealing with limb issues for months or years. Some of the conditions we help treat include:
- A traumatic injury from a car crash, combat service or an unusual accident
- Broken bones that don’t heal properly
- Cancer of the bone or soft tissue
- Those who’ve had an amputation or are considering one
- Advanced stage of diabetes or other vascular conditions
- Soft tissue loss or chronic wounds
- Fracture-related infections or infections related to joint replacements (periprosthetic infections)
- Nerve injuries
- Congenital limb abnormalities
Symptoms limb restoration treats
Limb restoration can help improve these symptoms or medical issues related to limb trauma or limb loss:
- Limited range of motion
- Difficulty bearing weight or loss of strength
- Lingering pain, including phantom pain or residual limb pain from amputation
- Inability to use a prosthetic device
- Difficulty using current prosthetic device
- Scars or structural deformities you don’t like the look of
What’s the difference between limb restoration and limb preservation at Ohio State?
Limb preservation, sometimes called limb salvage, focuses on maintaining the existing limb, often prioritizing its physical presence over function. At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, our limb preservation services often involve early intervention techniques to help those with diabetes or other vascular conditions that may threaten their limbs.
In contrast, limb restoration aims to optimize both function and comfort by using various procedures, including amputation, to achieve the best possible quality of life. It also focuses on orthopedic or nerve injuries or conditions.
Leaders in limb restoration in the Midwest
- 10surgeons in the Limb Restoration Program
- 100+annual flap surgeries
- 200+amputation-related surgeries annually
- 10+research studies/clinical trials
Limb restoration rehabilitation and recovery
While you’ll be cared for by the highly skilled surgeons in the operating room, we know that some of the most challenging work in limb restoration comes after surgery. Our Limb Restoration Program will help coordinate most aspects of your recovery to ensure you have a seamless experience. Throughout your recovery, you may access one or more of these services:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Pain management
- Amputee rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation psychology and mental healthcare
- Prosthetic device fitting (through a community provider)
- Social work
Why choose Ohio State’s Limb Restoration Program?
Truly collaborative care
Our Limb Restoration Program strives to provide the most comprehensive care for your complex limb issues. With our unique team approach, we’re able to tap the unique skill sets of various providers to produce the best results for you and your care. This means we have all the tools in one place.
For example, our oncology (cancer) surgeons can think about removing the tumor and doing what’s best to treat your cancer. Then, our microsurgeons (microsurgery for blood vessels and nerves) can make sure the limb has optimal function following that tumor removal.
Innovative treatments and research
Your treatment won’t be limited by the capabilities of just one surgeon. Multiple surgeons from various disciplines will thoroughly evaluate your condition and overall health to determine the best treatment options.
You’ll have access to the most advanced surgeries and technology available, including:
- Microsurgery and soft tissue reconstruction
- Nerve repair
- Bone and joint stabilization
- Flap surgery and skin grafts
- Advanced amputation and prosthetic preparation
- Cancer resection surgery
- Osseointegration
- Targeted muscle reinnervation
Military Medicine Program
The concept of this multidisciplinary approach to limb restoration care at Ohio State began with our Military Medicine Program launched by Jason Souza, MD. This groundbreaking program seeks to offer a better quality of life to our country’s wounded warriors.
It’s a collaborative group of expert surgeons, military specialists and rehabilitation experts – many with combat experience themselves – who understand the unique challenges our veterans with catastrophic injuries face years after returning home.
Training the next generation
Ohio State is home to advanced surgical fellowships in various surgery areas, such as microsurgery (hand), orthopedics, plastic and vascular. We not only pioneer the latest innovations in limb restoration techniques, but we’re also making sure the next generation of surgeons furthers this high level of surgical capability.
Ohio State’s multidisciplinary team is here to support you
Jason Souza, MD
Medical Director, Limb Restoration Program