Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes with 15 percent of them developing foot ulcers each year. This results in 60,000 amputations annually.
Why so many? Part of the problem is that diabetics have decreased feeling in their feet and often do not realize that they have an ulcer or a wound. In addition, patients and families may not know how quickly diabetic foot ulcers can break down, become infected and spread into deep tissue.
It has been shown that early recognition of foot ulcers is a very important factor in preventing amputation and loss of limbs. For this reason, it is recommended that diabetics have their feet checked at every visit to their primary care doctor, endocrinologist or podiatrist.
If an ulcer is found, there is standard treatment available that’s best provided by a wound care physician. The treatment may include debridement (removing unhealthy tissue); applying dressings to keep the wound moist to encourage the body’s own healing process (autolysis); use of special shoes and boots to prevent continued damage to the involved area; treatment of any infection; good blood sugar control and proper nutrition, and evaluation for possible peripheral artery disease or other diseases or illnesses.
Delaying treatment can be a serious error and diabetics need to be careful when trying to treat the wound themselves. Cleansing wounds with some products can be too harsh and can damage tissue. Allowing wounds to get too dry or too wet can slow healing. Always check with your doctor on any home treatment.
While standard treatment is important, it doesn’t always work. Studies show that only 25 percent of diabetic ulcers will heal within three months, despite the best of care. In cases that are slow to heal, or getting worse, it is important to seek advanced treatment from a comprehensive wound care center.
The Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at Baptist Medical Center-Beaches offers advanced treatment options including: using specialized dressings to promote healing; performing regular aggressive debridement; applying total contact casts (the most effective “off-loading”); using negative pressure wound treatment devices; using bio-engineered skin substitutes (artificial skin grafts) and using hyperbaric oxygen treatment for selected wounds.
The cure rate with these advanced treatments is very high. In the largest study to date, more than 1,000 diabetics with “critical limb ischemia,” hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been shown to heal nearly 75 percent of these most serious of diabetic foot ulcers. Success depends on good teamwork and a multi-disciplinary approach, early recognition and referral, as well as good patient education.
The goal of treatment is always the prevention of amputation, preservation of function and maintaining quality of life.
Please call the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center office in Las Vegas anytime @702-878-2455 between Monday – Friday and we would be happy to set up an appointment for you. Please visit our website @ FallCenter.com or www.walkwithdiabetes.com. The Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has Diagnostic imaging: Digital X-Rays, Ultrasound or Advanced Imaging will be used to aid in the diagnosis.
Dr. Anthony Ricciardi at the Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg Center has completed training in endoscopic/minimally invasive surgery for chronic heel pain and nerve pain, foot and ankle joint replacement for restoring pain free motion, arthroscopic surgery, bunion surgery, fracture repair, flat foot correction, external fixation for complex deformities and extensive experience in peripheral nerve surgery including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and reconstructive surgery of previously failed foot surgical procedures. In addition to his surgical training Dr. Ricciardi focuses on sports medicine of the foot and ankle through regenerative techniques using the patient’s own blood/platelets for healing chronic foot and ankle problems (pain) as a result of repetitive sport injuries. This cutting edge technology enables patients to continue training with little or no down time. Dr. Ricciardi continues to be active in teaching and training other podiatric surgeons on innovative surgical techniques in foot surgery. Dr. Ricciardi is Board Certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Fellow of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. Dr. Ricciardi’s vision is to bring each patient the most current state of the Art Technology and personalized treatment options to meet their Foot and Ankle needs (from conservative care to surgical options). Dr. Ricciardi believes in quality service and puts his patients first!
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