title: Lower Extremity Limb Salvage: Lessons Learned From 14 Years at War.
abstract: American survivability during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan continues to improve, though the rate of extremity injury remains quite high. The decision to proceed with amputation versus limb salvage remains controversial. Exposure to combat wound with severe high-energy lower extremity trauma during the previous 14 years at war has incited important advances in limb salvage technique and rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX; †Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC; ‡Department of Orthopaedics, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD; and §Department of Orthopaedics, Clinical Research Center, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blair
authors.forename: Emmanuel D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Eisenstein
authors.forename: Sarah N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Pierrie
authors.forename: Wade
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Johnny G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hsu