Limb Salvage Preservation Programs & Surgery
Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists LLC has evolved into providing unprecedented comprehensive care for lower extremity wounds and limbs at risk for amputation. Conditions treated under this program include all types of lower extremity wounds and related diseases, including venous stasis ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, ischemic wounds, neuropathic ulcers and those related to deformities such as Charcot joint disease, including full vascular and orthopedic reconstruction and limb salvage surgery.
Comprehensive Care from One Dedicated Podiatry Practice
With the complete integration of podiatrists, foot and ankle surgeons, wound care specialists, and ancillary service providers such as our renowned Interventional cardiologist fellowship trained in peripheral vascular disease, physical medicine, interventional radiology, family practice, pain and rehab, neurology, dermatopathology, dieticians, pedorthists and nurse practitioners, we are able to provide focused continuity of care for these high-risk patients considering limb salvage surgery.
No longer is it necessary for patients with multiple related medical conditions to bounce between multiple practices, an imaging center and a hospital for care of these complicated conditions. In one practice, we provide all of the state of the art ancillary services necessary for wound care and limb salvage including MRI, CT, custom shoe gear and bracing, advanced diagnostic ultrasound imaging, arterial and venous ultrasound, nerve conduction studies, pharmacy, limb salvage surgery and even an out patient procedure suite for interventional treatment of peripheral vascular disease and other conditions. We also offer free transportation, wheel chair ready, for existing patients to and from their appointments.
Various forms of wound care and amputations
Lower extremity wounds are often very difficult to treat and can have a significant impact on overall health and quality of life. There are many treatment options available for wounds that are selected based on the individual situation and the underlying problem(s). For example, an abnormal bony prominence or foot deformity may require bracing, custom footwear, or reconstructive surgery to truly heal a wound and prevent a recurrence.
Other wounds might require intervention by a vascular specialist in our group or compression therapy if swelling is related. We work together with internal medicine, infectious disease, and vascular specialists to optimize wounds for healing. We are using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) for our deepest wounds. Amniotic membrane grafts, a form of natural, regenerative medicine similar to stem cells, are used for chronic ulcerations that have failed standard wound care.
Recent studies have shown a “reduction in healing time with amniotic membrane preparations in the treatment of refractory diabetic foot ulcers compared to conventional methods.” (1) For those wounds that have failed even the most advanced wound care, amputation may be necessary as a last resort.
Treating the Underlying Cause of Chronic Foot, Ankle or Leg Pain
No longer is it necessary for critical days or weeks to pass while communication related to these complex patients is haphazardly conveyed from specialist to specialist. Our team of providers all share the same electronic health records and are able to access each other’s notes, images and reports real time, from any location and are in daily communication with each other.
What Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists does differently
Unlike other specialists, our goal is to avoid major amputations by removing the minimal amount of tissue necessary to solve the problem but still preserve function. Examples include solitary toe or partial foot amputations instead of below-knee amputations. At Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists, we have a team of trained lower extremity surgeons who are dedicated to providing compassionate care and can perform life-saving amputations that will get you back on your feet faster.
References:
BMC Surg 21, 87 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12893-021-01084-8.
No longer is it necessary for patients to sort through bills from multiple practice entities. All of our billing is centralized in one location and can be discussed with a single phone call to our local business office. All related health and financial records can be accessed in one place on our user-friendly patient portal.
As always, these services will be provided with the same level of compassionate care, relentless pursuit of excellent results and extreme patient convenience on which Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists was built. Our providers remain actively engaged in education within and outside of this community and vow to provide the most up-to-date effective treatments available. While this program is the first of its kind of which we are aware, we anticipate that it will become the new standard of Excellence going forward, and we are happy to bring it to the communities in which we serve.
LIMB SALVAGE PRESERVATION PROGRAM
If you would like to know more about this program, make an appointment with the board-certified podiatrists and surgeons at Certified Foot & Ankle Specialists. 1-855-550-FEET