Surgical Treatment Of The Infected Diabetic Foot

The foot is the most overused and underrated part of the body that carries 1.5 times the body weight while we walk. Feet undergo a lot of wear and tear during the lifetime. Even though it is essential to maintain healthy feet for all the individuals, it is more insisted for the diabetic population.

Improper and neglected foot care in the diabetic community leads to many complicated and life-threatening problems. Foot ulcers are the most common problem that occurs in approximately 15% of the diabetic population. The diabetic foot ulcers are more in-depth and have increased frequency of occurrence when compared to other common ulcers.

The two basic reasons for the increased occurrence of ulcers in people with diabetes are peripheral neuropathy(nerve damage) and Ischemia(lack of blood flow to the limbs). But, not all the people with neuropathy and ischemia would develop foot ulcers. It's the injury which is the one that causes ulcers. Injury may be sometimes trivial such as over walking or running without proper protection. Ulcers that are mild such as an early shoe bite which is not deep can be treated with medication or non-invasive procedures. But ulcers that are severe and have a high chance of spreading the infection should be treated only by surgery.

Types Of Surgical Treatments

The wound dictates terms and Diabetic foot ulcer exhibits iceberg mechanism. The main aim of the surgery is to control the infection and preserve the damaged tissue or structure and removing the dead, non-viable tissues.

Debridement: Can be minor or major debridement. This method involves removing the infected and dead tissues from the ulcer using special scissors or scalpel that allows the surgeon to make the foot ulcer bacteria free and provide the right environment for the ulcer to heal. It's the process of converting the bad ulcer into a good ulcer.

Amputation: This procedure is preferred only during life-threatening sepsis. The amputation procedure aims to limit the spread of infection and retain the foot function. Based on the severity and range of infection, amputations performed can be either at  toe, forefoot, mid foot, and high mid foot level.

Bone Curettage: Osteomyelitis is a common condition in diabetic patients that might require bone curettage. It is a bone infection that requires surgery to remove the infected and dead bone.

Revascularization:  People with diabetes have a reduced supply of blood flow in the legs that do not allow the ulcers to heal faster. Either an angioplasty or arterial reconstruction to improve blood flow will aid in faster healing.

For early diagnosis and effective treatment of diabetic foot problems contact MADURAI FOOTCARE CENTRE.Book an appointemnt: footspecialistindia.com/book-an-appointment
Blog Reviewed By: Dr.G.Saravanakumar
Mail Us @ maduraifootcarecentre@gmail.com