Our Services: Limb Salvage

When people have a very severe injury or tumor of the arms, legs or upper or lower extremities, advanced techniques may be needed to prevent an amputation. The term used to describe this care is “limb salvage" and it often requires a multidisciplinary team. Limb salvage may include complex methods of bone, muscle and skin reconstruction. It may involve multiple surgeries to better optimize the form and function of the limb, or to get rid of a challenging infection.

Advanced techniques to reconstruct the bony injury or defect may include bone grafting, limb lengthening surgeries, as well as complex fracture fixation and joint replacement. Flap surgery, including free tissue transfer may be used to reconstruct the injury or defect in the soft tissues. This can include replacing missing skin, muscle, and at times bone. In patients with nerve injuries, muscles or tendons can be transferred to help reconstruct functional losses.

Why Choose Johns Hopkins for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery?

Surgical Expertise

Rigorous medical training and breadth of knowledge, experience, and innovation mark our surgical facility as one of the best in the world.

Compassionate Care

Our surgeons are devoted to their profession and to providing attentive patient care, making themselves available and accessible to patients and their families.

Advanced Research

Our surgeons participate in and often lead in advanced research that leads to better patient outcomes.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Our surgeons work alongside their colleagues in additional specialties cross the Johns Hopkins network to offer our patients the most comprehensive care.

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Schedule by Phone

New and existing patients can schedule by phone using this number: 443-997-9466

International patients can request an appointment though international patient services.

What to Expect

  • An individualized treatment plan will be created for each patient based on a patient’s needs and goals.
  • This may include collaboration with infectious disease or oncology experts.
  • Pre-operative imaging is often required to plan for surgery.
  • The reconstructive effort may require multiple stages, or surgeries, for some patients.
  • Some surgeries are outpatient surgeries where patients go home the day of surgery, and others require staying in the hospital for several days for pain control and post-operative monitoring.

Our Experts

  • Damon Sean Cooney, M.D., Ph.D.

    • Clinical Director, Face Transplant Program, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center
    • Clinical Co-Director, Penile Transplantation, Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center

    Expertise: Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Blepharoplasty, Breast Augmentation, Breast Conservation Surgery

    Primary Location: Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center (now called Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center), Baltimore, MD

  • Salih Colakoglu, M.D.

    Expertise: Abdominoplasty, Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Body Contouring, Botox

    Primary Location: Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center (now called Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center), Baltimore, MD

  • Lily Mundy, M.D.

    Expertise: Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reconstruction, Breast Reduction, Breast Tissue Expander

    Primary Location: Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center (now called Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., Outpatient Center), Baltimore, MD

  • Sami Tuffaha, M.D.

    • Director, Peripheral Nerve Surgery

    Expertise: Arthritis, Arthritis of the Wrist, Arthroplasty, Brachial Plexus Injuries, Congenital Hand Surgery

    Primary Location: The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD