ACIMedical

This refers mainly to medical efforts to save limbs threatened either by trauma or disease. Though it is impossible to predict if a limb will be jeopardized by trauma, the Amputee Coalition estimates that 60% of vascular disease-related amputations in the United States are preventable. Surgical, minimally-invasive, non-invasive and preventative measures are explored every day in the effort to salvage viable tissue for at-risk patients.

Peripheral arterial disease often refers to the lack of arterial circulation in the legs and feet, and less commonly refers to the same issue in the arms and hands. Similar to a heart attack, symptoms of PAD include muscle cramping and pain due to lack of oxygen carried by blood. Unfortunately, it is more likely for these symptoms to go unrecognized because they are passed off as "normal" aches and pains or as arthritis. This lack of awareness can eventually lead to critical limb ischemia, non-healing wounds and major amputation of the limb.

The diabetic foot is a potentially serious and limb-threatening condition for people diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The most common consequences for high blood sugar levels in the foot's blood vessels are peripheral neuropathy (numbness) and poor circulation, which can lead to wounds and ulcers that are either slow to heal or non-healing. Severe cases of the diabetic foot can result in amputation of part of the limb.