Anthony E. Capito, MD

From Almost Losing Her Feet to Dancing Ballet

4 minutes 9 seconds

A horrific accident left a vibrant 6-year-old New River Valley girl with both feet severed—until our team of surgeons took on the case of a lifetime to reattach them. Back in May, Aubrey was riding in the backseat of her dad’s pickup truck on the way home from gymnastics practice. She was playing with a cargo strap when one end of the strap went out the window, slid between the cab and bed of the truck and severed both of her feet while nearly pulling her from the vehicle. First assessed at CNRV, Aubrey Scaletta was airlifted by Life-Guard to our Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, where pediatric hand surgeon Peter Apel, M.D, Ph.D., quickly assembled a team of orthopaedic and plastic surgeons to make a difficult decision and take action in a short window of time. Dr. Apel stated that the options were to give up and amputate—or give Aubrey the best chance by operating immediately. They chose the second option and, in short order, Dr. Apel led the team through a complex, 6-hour-long, intricate dual reattachment surgery. Aubrey's journey is not complete, but only six months later, the now 7-year-old girl crossed the stage at Virginia Tech's Moss Arts Center and danced alongside her twin sister Grayson in The Nutcracker. Learn more about Carilion Clinic's Orthopaedics Department https://www.carilionclinic.org/ortho