Functional Limb Salvage: The Multidisciplinary Team Approach

Taking a truly interdisciplinary approach to the topic, Functional Limb Salvage is a ready reference for all clinicians and surgeons treating this patient population, including plastic, vascular, orthopedic and podiatric surgeons and their support staff.

The content of this text is focused on defining and expanding upon the importance and, more specifically, the intricacies of the multidisciplinary team approach. Although this is often touched upon or cited as an integral aspect of care, there are only sparse descriptions of the interplay of multiple team members in concert with the care of this challenging patient population.

This comprehensive text opens with definitions, demographics, epidemiology, pathophysiology and etiology of the limb salvage patient population, whether due to infection, ischemia or deformity. The multidisciplinary team itself is then outlined, from the who, when and where of the intervention to the role of the individual clinicians themselves; from vascular and plastic surgeons to podiatric and orthopedic surgeons, multiple medical specialties, and with thorough attention to the integral support staff of NPs, PAs and many others. History and assessment are then discussed as a prelude to both conservative and surgical treatments, including wound healing optimization, orthotics and prosthetics, skin grafting, amputation, bioengineered tissue and more. A final chapter on innovation and landmark publications rounds out the presentation.

John S. Steinberg, DPM, FACFAS, Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Division of Wound Healing, Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

Christopher E. Attinger, MD, FACS, Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Division of Wound Healing, Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA