[The Evolution of Orthoplastic Surgery: Interdisciplinary Collaboration as the Key to Limb Salvage].

Abstract

Groundbreaking technological advances in plastic and orthopedic surgery have contributed to substantially increasing the overall limb-salvage rates over recent decades. Adequate reconstruction of complex tissue defects of diverse etiologies - including traumatic, oncologic, ischemic, and infectious causes - has become highly feasible through the application of advanced reconstructive techniques and plays a pivotal role in preserving limb function and markedly improving patients' quality of life. The success of such complex reconstructive strategies requires a multidisciplinary team capable of integrating diverse surgical competencies - such as skeletal stabilization, soft-tissue coverage, and vascular reconstruction - into a coherent treatment pathway. Orthoplastic surgery is founded on the close collaboration between orthopedic surgeons and plastic-reconstructive microsurgeons, whose complementary expertise facilitates both the execution of intricate reconstructions and a well-founded assessment of limb-salvage potential. This article outlines the roles of orthopedic and plastic-reconstructive surgeons as core pillars of an orthoplastic care model and illustrates how this interdisciplinary approach can address the multifaceted challenges in limb reconstruction.