To assess the structural and operational characteristics of limb salvage centers and quantify features that differentiate orthoplastic centers from vascular centers, emphasizing the importance of this differentiation.
Key Findings:
118 articles met inclusion criteria, primarily focusing on orthoplastic (36%) and vascular centers (41%).
A significant increase in publications on orthoplastic centers was noted, particularly from 2020 to 2024, indicating a growing interest in this area.
Studies were predominantly from the USA and UK, with the USA focusing more on vascular centers.
Interpretation:
The review highlights the need for standardized frameworks in orthoplastic centers to improve limb salvage outcomes and reduce practice variations, suggesting that such frameworks could lead to better patient care.
Limitations:
Variability in study quality and risk of bias across included studies may affect the reliability of findings.
Exclusion of non-English studies and those lacking organizational context may limit comprehensiveness and applicability.
Conclusion:
There is a critical need for defining and standardizing organizational features of orthoplastic centers to enhance care quality and patient outcomes in limb salvage, addressing the urgent gaps identified.
by Omar Moussa, Fernando J. Pacheco, Floris V. Raasveld, Marcos R. Gonzalez, Kamilcan Oflazoglu, Marco J. P. F. Ritt, Ian L. Valerio, Hinne Rakhorst, Krystle R. Tuaño, Kyle R. Eberlin
