Pushing the Boundaries of Salvage in Mutilating Upper Limb Injuries: Techniques in Difficult Situations

With the available microsurgical techniques, salvage of the limb can almost always provide a useful upper limb, even in the most complex combined injuries. Having a low threshold for revascularization of doubtfully viable extremities and making full use of the current armamentarium of soft tissue cover techniques, including flow through free flaps, will salvage many limbs. Secondary procedures, including free functioning muscle transfers and toe transfers, further increase the possible functional outcome. Even in the most complex combined injuries, intelligent reconstruction will obtain better outcomes than the best available prosthesis, making the efforts of salvage worthwhile.