TGH’s Limb Preservation Program Takes Patient-First Approach to Provide World-Class Care

The Heart & Vascular Institute’s (HVI) Limb Preservation and Complex Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Program at Tampa General Hospital (TGH) is the first and only of its kind in the Tampa Bay region to offer an integrated, multidisciplinary and evidence-based approach to the management and care of patients with complex PAD.

Living with vascular disease can be stressful and challenging, which is why our goal at TGH is to make a patient’s care journey as efficient, cost-effective and high-quality as possible. In March 2023, the TGH Vascular Center of Excellence, Medical Director of the TGH Limb Preservation Program and an Assistant Professor with USF Health, was interviewed by WFLA's Daytime recently to discuss the new South Tampa clinic and its limb preservation services. Among the leading experts in the treatment of PAD and end-stage Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), Dr. Bailey and his team have treated patients from a variety of communities. This includes individuals with health care challenges and disparities who often face barriers to accessing quality care that can provide them with the best chance of limb salvage.

TGH’s Limb Preservation Program also features a first-of-its-kind Limb Alert system developed by Dr. Bailey to expedite the diagnosis and management of patients with acute limb ischemia, designed to prevent limb loss. Today, when a patient comes to TGH with an infected wound or restricted blood flow to a limb, the Limb Alert system is activated, which, similar to a hospital Code Blue, immediately notifies the Limb Preservation Program team.

Another unique element of the program is the holistic support it offers to patients across the full continuum of care. Physicians, therapists, prosthetic specialists and other caregivers at TGH are working together to provide the emotional support many of these patients need to live an independent and functional life. This summer, the Limb Preservation Program hosted its first amputation support group — the only of its kind in the region. Carlos Marin, a former TGH patient, led the meeting. Marin, also a semi-pro soccer player and local youth soccer coach, has become a mentor to many patients in the Limb Preservation Program since his amputation surgery at TGH during the pandemic.

At TGH, we’ve built a program to ensure that each patient receives “concierge” level attention and communication throughout all phases of care. Our team of surgeons and specialists embrace the newest research and technology and work as partners to provide a treatment plan as unique as each patient.