Contact: Eileen Teves, 210-450-7239, tevese@uthscsa.edu
Advanced care combining limb-saving treatments, amputation surgery and osseointegration
SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 13, 2025 – UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), proudly announces the launch of the Limb Optimization Program, a multidisciplinary initiative delivering advanced care for patients facing complex extremity deformity or dysfunction due to trauma, tumor, or congenital condition. Designed to improve identity, functional outcome, and quality of life for patients across the region, the program combines limb preservation, amputation care and reconstructive solutions such as osseointegration.
UT Health San Antonio is the first in South Texas to provide osseointegration, a state-of-the-art procedure that enables direct skeletal attachment of a prosthetic limb, offering enhanced mobility, comfort and control compared to traditional socket prosthetics.
Joseph Alderete, MD, FAOA, retired Army colonel and associate clinical professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at UT San Antonio, leads the program with a comprehensive team from ortho-plastics, behavioral health, nutrition, physical and occupational therapy, orthotics and prosthetics, and translational research.
A leading military orthopedic surgeon with extensive experience in combat trauma care, Alderete is among the nation’s first to perform osseointegration. He helped launch the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs Osseointegration Human Clinical Trial and later brought the program to Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC).
“UT Health San Antonio’s Limb Optimization Program was created to enhance function beyond the physical, focusing on self-image, empowerment, and belonging in recovery from limb salvage surgery or advanced amputation, such as osseointegration,” said Alderete. “By offering osseointegration, comprehensive rehabilitation, state of the art orthotic and prosthetic care, and patient goal centric support we’re helping patients move forward with greater function, fewer complications and renewed independence.”
The program aligns closely with the needs of San Antonio and South Texas. Known as “Military City, USA,” San Antonio is home to one of the largest active-duty military and retired veteran communities in the United States, making UT Health San Antonio an ideal location for patients who may require specialized care for trauma-related injuries.
The Limb Optimization Program’s patient-centered approach extends beyond surgery, focusing on long-term recovery and reintegration into daily life for patients facing limb loss.
“Conditions like cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases put people at risk of losing a limb every day,” said Ashlee Blume, PA-C, medical director of the Limb Optimization Program. “Access to coordinated, advanced care close to home is critical, and this program helps patients preserve their quality of life.”
The approach on patient-centered care is part of UT Health San Antonio’s commitment to strengthening specialty limb care across South Texas.
“We are elevating the standard of care for limb conditions across the region,” said Robert Leverence, MD, vice dean for clinical affairs and executive director of UT Health Physicians. “The Limb Optimization Program empowers us to deliver life-changing procedures that address complex needs for all patients.”
In Bexar County, one in six adults are diagnosed with diabetes. South Texas has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the country, a condition that significantly increases the risk of chronic wounds, infections and amputations. The program provides resources for patients with diabetes-related limb complications, offering a path to either preserve limbs or improve surgical outcomes when amputation is necessary.
“Treating limb loss means reclaiming mobility and the ability to perform everyday activities,” said Robert Quinn, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at UT Health San Antonio. “Patients will receive coordinated, personalized and expert care that supports their recovery and promotes sustained overall health.”
A collaborative team of surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, prosthetists and researchers will provide care at every stage of a patient’s journey. The program is only one of few in the country offering this level of comprehensive care and access to advanced surgical techniques like osseointegration.
For more information about UT Health San Antonio’s Limb Optimization Program, visit UTHealthCare.org/LimbOptimization or call 210-450-9300.
UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), offering a comprehensive network of inpatient and outpatient care facilities staffed by medical, dental, nursing and allied health professionals who conduct more than 2.5 million patient visits each year. It is the region’s only academic health center and one of the nation’s leading health sciences institutions, supported by the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health that are leading change and advancing fields throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.
Stay connected with UT Health San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.