An Athlete, Two Plastic Surgeons, and A Dream: Creating an Extraordinary Life

"My ASPS Member Surgeon gave me the chance to do what I love," says Scott Rigsby, reconstructive plastic surgery patient and 2007 American Society of Plastic Surgeons Patients of Courage honoree.

No, he's not an actor or model. Scott is the first below-the-knee double amputee to complete the 140.6-mile Ford Ironman World Championship, the most challenging endurance event of our time.

Back in 1986, Scott was a high school football player and ambitious athlete—until a catastrophic accident severely damaged his legs. His right leg required immediate amputation, but his left leg was saved. Like more than 5 million patients every year, Scott needed reconstructive plastic surgery.

"To me plastic surgery isn't about looks. It's about form; it's about function," Scott says. "I'm a living example of how the advancements in plastic surgery can actually give someone their life back."

The father-son team of ASPS Member Surgeons Foad and Farzad Nahai partnered with Scott on his extraordinary 20-year journey. "It took multiple procedures involving flaps and grafting to save the one leg that he had," recalls Farzad Nahai. In fact, in the first 12 years Scott endured a series of more than 26 reconstructive surgeries.

"If it wasn't for the skilled hands of Dr. Nahai, then I would not have been able to resume a normal life as a college student," Scott says. But Scott wanted more than a normal life; he wanted to compete, and eventually his natural leg held him back.

"My skin flap and muscle graft had just had its shelf life and over the course of the years it began to wear down," Scott recalls, he became addicted to pain relievers and sleep aids. By 1998, suffering from depression, exhaustion and chronic pain, he'd had enough. "I made the decision to amputate my leg so that I could resign from being a professional patient and resume my life."

Within six weeks Scott was running foot over foot like he used to, feeling liberated and free of chronic pain, but soon new challenges arose. As a triathlete, he experienced sweat accumulation and friction between his prosthetic legs and what remained of his natural legs, causing the skin to break down. In addition to discomfort, this condition required more recovery time after exercise and increased the risk of infection.

Together Scott and Dr. Nahai became pioneers in addressing the challenges of physically active amputees. "I think the topical creams created more chafing and problems with the adherence of his neoprene sleeves over his legs," says Dr. Nahai. "And then with an oral medication that diminished sweat production throughout his body, there was really the issue of Scott overheating."

Proving that Botox can control more than wrinkles, Dr. Nahai and Scott came up with the idea of using botulinum toxin injections to reduce sweating right at the site of Scott's neoprene sleeves. "I think a lot of people understand that Botox works very well to smooth out some of the lines on our faces, but in addition it also inhibits sweat production," Dr. Nahai explains. Scott also uses some topical numbing and aesthetic creams to get through the hot spots that can develop on his legs when he spends many hours training or running a race.

The strategy worked—with a vengeance. In 2006, Scott completed five road races, one duathlon, and 13 triathlons, setting two world triathlon records. And his crowning achievement came the following year, when he swam 2.4 miles in the open ocean, biked 112 miles across the Iava desert, and ran a full 26 and ¼-mile marathon to complete the Ironman World Championship.

Despite his singular accomplishments, Scott is not alone. Reconstructive plastic surgery, performed by ASPS Member Surgeons, has changed the lives of millions of other patients as well. Like Drs. Foad and Farzad Nahai, ASPS Member Surgeons:

• Are board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify physicians in plastic surgery of the face and all areas of the body)
• Have at least 6 years of training and experience in surgery, with 3 years specifically in plastic surgery
• Operate only in accredited medical facilities
• Fulfill continuing education requirements, including patient safety techniques
• Adhere to a strict code of ethics
• Will be your partner working with you to achieve your goal