Prosthetics at VHA: Helping amputee Veterans with the latest in technology

At Veterans Health Administration, we are committed to helping our military Veterans achieve their health goals with our extensive list of health services and top-of-the-line technology. Our Rehabilitation and Prosthetics Services are no different.

Dedicated to our amputee Veterans who were injured in the line of duty, our Prosthetics department is committed to offering the best options for recovery. With a staff that is partially composed of military Veterans with similar experiences, VHA offers a unique perspective to these everyday heroes.

For instance, Francisco Pinedo is a military Veteran and amputee who currently serves as the Chief of Prosthetics at VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System. He notes that within his facility, they have adopted the latest in prosthetic technology, with the recent implementation of the CAT cam system—what he describes as, “essentially a scanner that digitizes the residual limb of an amputee.”

Whereas in the past, prosthetists used plaster to mold the residual limb, Pinedo explains, “we are now able to do that digitally. It’s then imported into a computer system where the prosthetist is able to manipulate the image.”

From there, the prosthetic is carved. It’s a much quicker process and but one example of the ways VHA is taking steps to provide the best care for our patients.

“What used to take 5-10 business days, we can turn around easily within the same day,” Pinedo says. “We’re able to provide our Veterans with cutting-edge technology. They’re a very deserving population and they deserve the best.”

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