Limb Salvage

Limb salvage is a surgical procedure aimed at saving a limb that has been severely damaged by injury, infection, or disease. The primary goal is to avoid amputation and preserve as much function as possible, allowing you to maintain mobility and participate in daily activities.

This approach involves various treatments focused on reconstructing a functional limb and preventing amputation after serious damage. While the aim is to preserve as much of the limb as possible, it's important to note that the limb may not regain its original strength.

Limb salvage can significantly improve a patient's quality of life, helping to avoid the complications associated with amputation. At Kimball Health Services, our expert orthopedic surgeon and plastic & reconstructive surgeon work together to salvage your limb and preserve its function. 

We offer specialized and personalized care tailored to your specific needs, ensuring the best possible outcome for your condition. 

Limb salvage surgery is a critical treatment option for various conditions and injuries. It involves repairing, replacing, or reconstructing different parts of a limb.

• Trauma: Limb salvage surgery can help address severe injuries from accidents, sports, or other incidents that can cause significant damage to a limb. The procedure involves evaluating the injury and determining the best surgical approach to repair and reconstruct the damaged tissues and bones.
• Cancers & tumors: Limb salvage surgery can be an option for malignant or benign tumors in the bone or soft tissue of the limb. This procedure involves removing the tumor and some of the surrounding tissues while preserving as much of the limb as possible.
• Infections: Severe infections of the bone (osteomyelitis), joints, or soft tissues can threaten the integrity of a limb. Limb salvage surgery can address these infections by removing the infected tissues.

Limb salvage surgery can also address conditions such as peripheral artery disease and severe congenital deformities that impair function.

When considering limb salvage surgery, the surgeon must ensure the procedure can be successful. A successfully salvaged limb should be:

• Free of disease/infection: The surgery must effectively remove all traces of the problem.
• Functional: The limb should regain as much function as possible for daily activities.
• Acceptable appearance: The final appearance of the limb should be satisfactory.

Several factors that can influence the success of limb salvage surgery include:

• Extent of disease/infection: If the tumor is too big or the cancer has spread too much, it may be difficult to remove it entirely without sacrificing vital structures. Similarly, if an infection has spread too far, it may not be possible to save the limb. 
• Extent of injury: The severity of damage to nerves, tissues, blood vessels, or bones can significantly complicate the repair. While some parts can be replaced if they can't be repaired, if too many parts are beyond repair, it becomes impossible to replace them all.

Before limb salvage surgery, we take several steps to ensure that you are prepared for the procedure. 

We conduct a detailed pre-operative assessment, including necessary imaging tests like MRIs or CT scans, to examine your limb condition thoroughly. We also consider your overall health, including any pre-existing conditions that might affect the surgery's success.

If your injuries are critical, we will provide initial treatment to stabilize your condition. This could involve splinting, medication, or other measures to ensure your limb is safe for major surgery.

Finally, our surgeon will discuss the planned procedure with you in detail, explaining the surgical approach, potential risks and challenges, and the expected outcomes. This conversation will ensure that you are fully informed and prepared for the surgery.

Limb salvage surgery involves a combination of various procedures to save your limb and restore its function.

The first step focuses on removing the disease or infection, which is followed by the reconstruction of the limb. This process may involve multiple steps to reconnect, repair, or replace blood vessels, nerves, bones, and other tissues in the limb.

Various procedures that a limb salvage surgery might involve are:

• Grafting: Transplanting a healthy bone or skin from another part of the body to replace missing or damaged parts of the limb
• Flap surgery: Moving tissue from one part of the body to another to cover wounds and defects
• Prosthesis: Using artificial implants to replace or repair bones or joints to restore the functionality of your limb
• Soft tissue reconstruction: Using muscle, skin, and fat grafts to cover defects and improve functionality
• Revascularization: Restoring blood flow to parts of the limb that have lost it by using vascular surgery techniques to repair vessels

The recovery time after limb salvage surgery depends on the specific procedures used and the parts of your limb that were treated. While wounds typically heal within weeks, muscles and bones may take months to recover fully. 

Generally, you can expect to spend several days in the hospital after surgery, followed by 2-3 months of home recovery before returning to work or school.

Extensive physical rehabilitation is essential following limb salvage surgery. Physical therapy with targeted exercises can help in recovery and restore your limb's range of motion as much as possible.

The rehabilitation process requires time, dedication, patience, and perseverance. Regaining the full function of your salvaged limb may take longer.

At Kimball Health Services, we understand the importance of preserving your limb and restoring its function. Our team of experts works to provide specialized care and achieve the best possible outcome for your condition.

As one of the top critical access hospitals in the nation, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. 

In case of an emergency, call 911 or walk into our emergency department anytime. For appointments, call us at 308-235-1966 or fill out our online form. We're here for you whenever you need us.