Severe wounds on your arms, legs, or feet can significantly affect your daily life. Wounds that don’t heal increase your risk of amputation. Limb salvage surgery uses cutting-edge medical techniques aimed at helping people avoid amputation by treating chronic wounds and restoring limb functionality due to severe injuries or medical conditions.
Looking for Limb Salvage and Reconstruction Care?
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What is Limb Salvage?
The plastic surgeons at UPMC who specialize in limb salvage and reconstruction collaborate closely with orthopaedic and vascular surgeons, podiatrists, and physiatrists to:
- Heal complex or chronic wounds.
- Help restore limb function, mobility, and independence.
- Save limbs from amputation.
At UPMC, our multidisciplinary team of plastic, orthopaedic, and vascular surgeons collaborates to offer comprehensive care tailored to your unique needs.
What Conditions Do We Treat?
Our experts see and treat:
- Amputation management — When limb preservation isn't possible, we guide you through optimal amputation procedures and pain management options like targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) and regenerative peripheral nerve interface (RPNI).
- Bone injuries — We collaborate with orthopaedic surgeons to help restore structure and function when bones are damaged or infected.
- Chronic, complex wounds — Our experts use special surgical techniques to close nonhealing wounds, especially on the arms, legs, or feet. These are often the result of diabetes, vascular disease, or trauma.
- Muscle, tendon, and nerve injuries — We offer specialized surgical techniques that can repair or transfer tissue to regain strength and mobility.
What Procedures and Treatments Do We Offer?
Our plastic surgeons use the latest techniques to prevent amputation, heal wounds, and help you get back to doing what you love. If amputation is inevitable, we’ll work closely with you to find the best approach and do everything we can to minimize pain and optimize function.
Our treatments include:
- Advanced prosthetic preparation — Procedures include TMR and RPNI to alleviate nerve pain and improve prosthetic use after amputation.
- Flaps and skin grafts — Using healthy tissue or skin from nearby or distant parts of your body to cover and heal wounds.
- Microsurgery — Precise surgical technique that involves transferring tissue from one part of the body to another, which is essential when local tissue is insufficient.
- Nerve and tendon repair — Transferring nerves or muscles from other body parts to restore limb function.
- Scar and residual limb revision — Techniques to improve scar appearance and flexibility, enhancing overall limb function and aesthetics.
What Can I Expect?
During your first consultation, our plastic surgeon will conduct a comprehensive examination, review your medical history, and discuss potential treatment options with you. You'll receive personalized recommendations to achieve optimal outcomes for wound healing and limb preservation.
Why Choose UPMC Plastic Surgery for Limb Salvage?
- Collaborative approach — Close partnership with orthopaedic and vascular surgeons, podiatrists, and physiatrists to provide integrated care for optimal recovery and limb preservation.
- Comprehensive treatment plans — Coordinated care involving surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing support tailored specifically to your condition.
- Expert specialists — Board-certified plastic surgeons with specialized training in limb preservation and reconstruction.
- State-of-the-art care — Cutting-edge technologies and surgical techniques to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Our Locations
Pittsburgh
Oakland
UPMC Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
3601 Fifth Ave., Suite 6B
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-648-9670
Uptown
UPMC Mercy Plastic Surgery
1350 Locust St., Suite G103
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-232-5616
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-11-06.
