The bad news is that the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has had to replace its chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics. The good news is that amputees will still be able to access the skills of this experienced and dedicated physician.

It was 45 years ago that Reginald R. Cooper, a native of West Virginia and a brand-new "MD," arrived in Iowa City following his 1955 graduation from Richmond's Medical College of Virginia. He began his medical internship at the U. of I. Hospitals and Clinics, continuing there as he completed a three-year residency in orthopaedic surgery.

With the exception of a two-year stint in the U.S. Navy and a year at Johns Hopkins Hospital researching electron microscopy of bone and muscle, he's been in town ever since.

"I found this to be a wonderful community and a great place to develop an academic department of orthopaedic surgery. This has been a wonderful place to work - a superb department and a great group of support people," Dr. Cooper commented.

He has also found Iowa City to be an ideal place to raise a family. Married since 1954, Dr. Cooper and his wife Jaqueline have four adult children. Their daughter is a lawyer in Rochester, Minn., married to a physician at the Mayo Clinic; the oldest son and his wife are both orthopaedic surgeons in Marshalltown, Iowa; a second son is a urologist and serves on the U. of I. faculty, and his wife is a special education teacher. And the youngest son is a De Witt, Iowa, hospital administrator who is married to a financial analyst. Six grandchildren complete the family.

Dr. Cooper's professional association with American Prosthetics & Orthotics goes back to the early 1960s. As chairman of the university's Department of Orthopaedics for 26 years, he has held regular amputee clinics at both University Hospital and at the Veterans Administration clinic in Iowa City. Among the O&P practitioners attending those clinics were staff members of American Prosthetics & Orthotics.

"I've gotten to be quite familiar with a number of their prosthetists," mentioned Dr. Cooper. "In fact, I've worked closely over the years with Don Shurr. He wrote a nice book on amputees and prosthetics, and I was asked to write the foreward. Don Shurr was a physical therapist before he went into orthotics and prosthetics, so he's able to combine both areas. He also knows lots about the practice of orthotics and prosthetics - I think he's outstanding!

"Another one I enjoy working with is John Kamp - he comes up from the Davenport office for the clinics," Dr. Cooper added.

Looking back over 40 years in the field of prosthetic rehabilitation, the orthopaedic surgeon has seen many improvements in options for amputees.

"There certainly have been lots of changes in past years. In the days of my residency, they were using plug-fit sockets - there were plenty of problems with them. The introduction of the total contact sockets was a fantastic advancement. And the SACH foot - that was another big improvement over the non-articulated style.

"Of course, these new energy-storing feet are even better."

Among other innovations Dr. Cooper cited are myoelectric prostheses for upper extremity amputations, soft liners, and dramatic improvements in overall comfort, function, and cosmesis regarding prosthetic limbs.

"Not that we still don't have some problems, but technology has come a long way in making life better for amputees," he continued.

While stepping down from his chairmanship of the Department of Orthopaedics relieves Dr. Cooper of many administrative details, he intends to stay busy with the prosthetic clinics as before. He will continue to hold two prosthetics clinics each month, with scheduling handled through the University of Iowa's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

"I really do enjoy the management of rehabilitation for amputees, and I'll still be doing surgery, primarily for neuromuscular disorders and problems with the diabetic foot. Most of those are due to vascular insufficiency - but there are also a lot of trauma-related amputations because of farm accidents," he explained.

Dr. Cooper and his wife like to balance his medical career with periodic interruptions for travel.

"I believe we've visited 90-some countries all over the world - from Antarctica to Nepal and everywhere in-between. So I think that makes us travelers and not tourists," he laughed.

As to the outer limits of prosthetic technology, Dr. Cooper was reluctant to speculate too wildly.

"I think we're a long way from growing new limbs from amputated ones. Although we have had success with techniques for lengthening limbs ... I guess you just never know what lies ahead. With genetic engineering, who knows what's all possible?!"

Winter 2001 index