Course Description

UC San Diego Medical Center’s goal in offering the Limb Salvage and Functional Reconstruction: Vascular, Orthopaedic and Wound Care Team Approach conference is to provide all members of the health care community with a comprehensive academic, clinical and didactic program. This conference provides the information and materials needed to identify, treat, and heal limbs at risk for amputation and/or limb loss, thereby reducing associated morbidity and mortality.

This conference has been designed as a multidisciplinary presentation. The content of the program is universal and tailored to all health care practitioners involved in the treatment of limb threatening morbidities, and to those interested in an evidence-based approach to comprehensive care of the patient. The meeting format will include didactic lectures clustered in modules according to disease/pathologic condition, specialty symposia, and cutting-edge surgical case demonstrations.

Target Audience

This conference will benefit diabetes and wound healing specialists, vascular surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, podiatrists, foot and ankle surgeons, plastic surgeons, pharmacists, endocrinologists, family practitioners, internal medicine physicians, infectious disease specialists, cardiovascular and endovascular specialists, NPs, PAs, PTs and RNs.

Objectives

This course will enhance the background, knowledge and skills of attendees in the management of limb salvage.

At the conclusion of this CME activity, participants should be able to:

• Recognize the epidemiologic crisis of diabetic and non-diabetic limb loss/amputation
• Describe critical limb ischemia secondary to arterial occlusive disease
• Estimate the financial and social impact of diabetic limb salvage and amputation
• Assess and apply the options for endovascular and open surgical procedures for the treatment of arterial occlusive disease and critical limb ischemia
• Describe and integrate the options in wound and tissue treatment techniques for limb salvage including new advances and technology in wound care
• Compare and employ the options in biomechanical and orthopaedic effects in Charcot foot deformity and wound healing
• Review and integrate the options in lower extremity/foot/ankle treatment for limb preservation, both surgical and non-surgical
• Assess and demonstrate the options in infection control in wounds and limb salvage
• Apply vascular diagnostics to patients with lower extremity diseases
• Describe the implications of nutrition and optimal medical management of diabetes on the diagnosis, treatment and outcome in patients with wounds and critical limb ischemia
• Review the possible plastic reconstructive surgical options for patients after restoration of arterial blood flow and correction of boney deformities

Needs Assessment

The content of this educational program was determined by the planning committee using several approaches; these include monitoring the major medical journals, surveys, program feedback, expert faculty assessment, literature review, medical practice, chart review and new medical knowledge. In addition, attendees of the conference are polled regarding their personal educational goals and needs. Needs in the areas of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Renal Insufficiency and Limb Ischemia, Non-Healing Non-Ischemic Foot Ulcer, the Charcot Foot, Limb Ischemia and Tissue Loss have been identified.