Did you know that approximately 15% of people diagnosed with diabetes can suffer from foot ulcers? worldwide, over a million people with diabetes suffer a leg amputation, and 80% of them are preceded by ulcerative lesions and infections.
Under what conditions does the diabetic foot occur?
How is the diabetic foot treated?
What are the benefits of diabetic foot treatment?
What is a diabetic foot?
Diabetic foot is a complication that occurs in the evolution of diabetes and affects the structures of the lower limbs (skin, muscles, bones, joints), as a result of the compromise of blood circulation and peripheral nerves and is manifested by pain, infection, and walking disorders.
Under what conditions does the diabetic foot occur?
Secondary to hyperglycemia, circulatory and peripheral nerve disorders appear in the diabetic patient: diabetic neuropathy, which takes different forms: tingling sensation, intense burning, stinging, cramp, decrease or even absence of pain, thermal sensitivity, trophic ulcers, necrosis.
At the same time, diabetes predisposes to infection due to the body’s weak defense capacity, given that glucose is a good culture medium for microbes. Any foot infection can be associated with a very high risk of complications, possibly leading to amputation and even death.
Due to the neuropathy manifested by the decrease or absence of sensitivity to pain, pressure, and thermal variations, the patient does not feel when he is hit, burned, stung or other traumas occur that cause injuries and only notices the consequences: a swollen, red or a foot oozing pus.
How is the diabetic foot treated?
The treatment is done in a multidisciplinary team, through the collaboration between the diabetologist and the surgeon. The objective is to control blood sugar and limit structural losses, avoiding amputation and healing being possible in the early stages of the disease, respectively when the diagnosis is established as close as possible to the onset.
Treatment stages
Patient evaluation: establishing the diagnosis and the evolutionary stage of the disease. To achieve the best results, good communication within the care team is necessary, with the patient being an active member of it, involved in decision-making and care.
The actual treatment: depending on the stage of the disease, incision, drainage, debridement, active dressings to accelerate wound healing, antibiotic therapy, advice on wearing a certain type of shoes, and psycho-emotional support are practiced.
What is very important is the fact that after it is bandaged, the patient must not step on the affected leg.
What are the benefits of diabetic foot treatment?
Avoid:
- amputation of a limb
- severe disability for the patient, sometimes with serious consequences on the mental state
- An early diagnosis and correct treatment contribute to maintaining the quality of life by preserving the integrity of the foot
How to prevent diabetic foot?
- by controlling blood sugar
- through a rigorous toilet to avoid infections
- by periodically inspecting the lower limbs to detect any changes
- by presenting to the doctor at the slightest suspicion: injury, redness, swelling, etc. in order not to reach the loss of bone substance, loss of muscle mass, or the loss of part of the leg
- If the patient does not control his diabetes and does not respect the doctor’s instructions and hygiene rules, the results can be tragic and can lead to revascularization (procedure related to vascular surgery) or amputation.
Learn More:
- Screening for Diabetes – https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/suppl_1/s21.short
