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Get help from experienced vascular surgeons to resolve diabetic foot ulcers in a safe and effective treatment. A diabetic foot ulcer is a serious condition that may require amputation if the nerves get severely damaged. To prevent that from happening, it is important to get prompt treatment. Consult a vascular specialist today and find out the right course of treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.
Get help from experienced vascular surgeons to resolve diabetic foot ulcers in a safe and effective treatment. A diabetic foot ulcer is a serious ... Read More
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A ‘diabeticfoot’, also known as diabetic foot ulcer is a wound or an open sore that develops in diabetic patients if their leg gets injured somehow. Diabetic foot ulcers are considered as complication that arises when the skin tissues around the injury start to break down and expose the layers underneath. One of the worst things about these ulcers is that they cannot be managed through diet, exercise, or even insulin treatment. Therefore, it is always advised to get a timely treatment for a ulcer affected diabetic foot.
Wound healing is a natural mechanism of the human body. The key feature of wound healing is the repair of the lost extracellular matrix (ECM) that is the largest component of the dermal skin layer. Diabetes is one of the diseases that disturbs the wound healing process by delaying the formation of ECM. It also increases the risk of inflammation in the wounds that further delay the formation of mature granulation tissue and reduction in the wound tensile strength.
The delayed formation of the granulation tissue is the key reason for the formation of a diabetic foot ulcer. Other factors, such as poor circulation, foot deformities, and trauma in the foot also contribute to this condition. Patients with diabetes develop neuropathy which reduces or causes a complete loss of the ability to feel pain in the feet. The nerves get damaged due to consistently elevated blood sugar levels without exhibiting pain or other symptoms. Due to this, patients often stay unaware of the blisters, cuts, and injuries in their foot which results in the formation of a diabetic foot ulcer.
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The diabetic foot ulcer can be clearly seen on the foot as the tissues around the wound or sore will slowly start to die. If you have peripheral neuropathy, the nerve in the foot will be damaged, which will reduce the sensations in the feet and legs. Due to this, you may not notice the pain of the blister of injury in the foot.
You should inspect your foot daily if you have diabetes to ensure that an ulcer is not forming. Even a small blister or cut can quickly progress into an ulcer if it goes unnoticed. Therefore, it is always advised to a diabetic patient to be extremely careful while performing any kind of activity.
Visiting a vascular specialist is always the right approach to seek treatment for diabetic foot ulcers. He/she will diagnose the condition during a physical examination. The doctor will ask when you first noticed the ulcer and if you have other conditions, such as lower extremity arterial disease or peripheral neuropathy.
The doctor will inspect the foot, toes, and toenails for cuts, blisters, scratches, or ingrown toenails that can lead to the formation of foot ulcers.
The doctor may also ask you to stand and walk to analyze how the body weight is distributed across the bones and joints. The shape of the foot will also be checked as abnormal alignment of the foot can also increase the risk of ulcers.
After gathering your medical history and examining your foot physically, the doctor may suggest an X-ray, MRI scan, or blood tests to obtain more information about the ulcer.
Grade 1
Intact Skin
In this grade, no diabetic foot ulcers are present. However, there is a significant risk of developing one of the patients getting injured.
Grade 2
Superficial Ulcer of Skin or Subcutaneous Tissue
The is the early stage of diabetic foot ulcer. In which, a surface ulcer is present in this grade that involves the full thickness of the skin tissues but doesn’t yet involve the underlying tissues.
Grade 3
Ulcers Extension into Tendon, Bone, and Capsule
It is past diabetic foot ulcer’s early stage, the ulcer becomes deep and penetrates the surface, down to the muscles, ligaments, tendon, joint capsule, deep fascia, etc.
Grade 4
Deep Ulcer with Osteomyelitis or Abscess
At this grade, the ulcer reaches the subcutaneous connective tissue layer. Inflammation, osteomyelitis, or abscess may also be present. It can also include infection in the tendon, muscle, joint, or bone. This may also result in sore diabetic foot.
Grade 5
Partial Foot Gangrene
Initial stage of diabetic gangrene of foot is limited to the toes and forefoot, in this grade, the tissues around the ulcer start to decay. Gangrene or tissue death occurs in the localized portion of the foot.
Grade 6
Whole Foot Gangrene
In this grade, the diabetic gangrene of foot is extensive as the affected area is covered with ulcers. It is present in the whole foot region and may require amputation if not treated on time.
During the Surgery
In general, the surgical complications and risks associated with diabetic foot ulcer treatment include:
– Blood clots are also present in the ulcer which may break down and travel to the lungs resulting in a pulmonary embolism that can be fatal.
As diabetic foot ulcer surgery sometimes involves dead tissue extraction, patients feel like it is major surgery. Due to this, they feel nervous during the surgery and may suffer from arrhythmia.
*You should know that diabetic foot ulcer treatment is not necessarily a major surgery. It completely depends on the severity of the condition. For instance, if you have an ulcer of grade 3, debridement will be enough to improve the healing of the ulcer whereas, for a grade 5 ulcer, you may require vascular reconstruction which involves tendon lengthening or transfer as the infection usually reaches the bones in this grade.
If Left Untreated
In case you don’t seek treatment for diabetic foot ulcer in time, you will have to face the following complications:
Post-Surgery
Even after having surgery, there are slight chances of complications which you should look out for, such as:
Proper foot care can help you prevent a lot of common problems and treat them before they lead to serious complications. Here are the tips that will help you prevent foot problems:
If you are a diabetic patient, you should consult a doctor right away if you experience one or more of the following:
The treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer starts by cleaning or disinfecting the area. If the ulcer is infected, the doctor will first prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection and prevent it from spreading to the bone. After the wound is cleaned, a bandage will be applied to keep the wound sterile while it heals. The doctor will also show you how to do the cleaning and dressing on your own. An anti-bacterial ointment may also be provided to speed up the healing process and prevent infection.
Off-loading or TCC (Total Contact Casting)– It is another non-surgical treatment that involves relieving the pressure from the ulcerated area through an external means. Most commonly, the doctor will ask you to stay off your feet to prevent the infection in the ulcer from getting worse. To take the load off from your feet, the doctor will recommend wearing any of the following:
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy- This is a treatment that is not available in all medical centers but can be effective to a great extent in improving the healing of diabetic foot ulcers. A chamber is used where the patient lies on his/her back on a bed. The chamber is filled with 100% oxygen which increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream ten times. This speeds up the healing of the ulcer by stimulating the growth factors and stem cells. Sometimes, multiple sessions are done of this therapy to ensure that the wound heals properly.
Types of Surgery
When the ulcer cannot be treated using non-surgical methods, the doctor will consider using the surgical procedure for:
Debridement- It is a procedure that involves the removal of the hyperkeratotic tissue, fibrin, biofilm, and necrotic tissue from the ulcer wound to facilitate healing. With this technique, the wound healing process can be initiated by the small vessels that transport fresh blood to the edges of the debrided wound.
Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgery- This method of treatment involves a thorough musculoskeletal examination, plain radiographs, CT scans, and MRI scans that helps to determine the surgical plan. It is a very complex procedure that is done in a systematic manner:
The goal of the surgery is foot rebalancing and creating a plantigrade foot that can distribute the pressure in the leg. It is considered a type of internal surgical offloading.
Vascular Reconstruction- In case the blood vessels in the legs are extremely damaged and you have arterial lesions with intractable pain and gangrene, the doctor will have to consider vascular reconstruction for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. It involves using synthetic grafts or blood vessels that are taken from other areas of your body and using them to recreate the blood vessels that were damaged due to ulcers. It restores the blood flow in the wound and allows it to heal.
To prepare you for diabetic foot ulcer surgery, the doctor will give you clear instructions, including:
During the surgery, the doctor will use spinal anesthesia to numb the lower half of your body. Once you are under anesthesia, you won’t be able to feel any kind of pain or discomfort during the procedure. There is a chance that you might be awake during the procedure and hear the machine running. To make sure that you don’t feel stressed during the surgery, the doctor may also give you anti-anxiety pills.
After the surgery completes, you will most probably be asleep. You will be placed in the observation room until the anesthesia wears off. Afterward, you will be shifted to your ward. Depending on the procedure used for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, you may need to stay in the hospital for 24-72 hours. The doctor will closely monitor your condition after the surgery to make sure that there are no risks of complications.
Immediately after the surgery, you will feel numbness in the lower half of the body. Later, you may feel pain or discomfort for which the doctor will prescribe painkillers. The doctor will apply a splint to cover your foot and lower leg for proper support.
You will have to take complete bed rest for at least two days. After the doctor ensures that the wound is healing properly, you will be discharged. The doctor will also provide a detailed recovery plan to help you get back to your feet as soon as possible.
The diabetic foot ulcer treatment will be covered under insurance as it has the potential to turn into a life-threatening condition. Most vascular diseases are covered in health insurance policies as they are considered critical illnesses. However, the amount of coverage you have will be different depending on the insurance policy you have and the disease for which you are seeking treatment.
Most of the insurance companies, including Star Health Insurance, New India Health Insurance, Bajaj Allianz, Religare, ICICI Lombard, etc. provide ample coverage for vascular diseases and also have an easy and simple claim process. You can choose cashless payment or reimbursement to pay for the treatment you are seeking. But make sure that you discuss everything with the insurance provider to understand the terms and conditions of the policy.
The recovery rate after having diabetic foot ulcer surgery varies from patient to patient depending on the severity of the condition and how the patient’s body responds to the treatment.
In most cases, the wound will take around three to six weeks or even more (in severe cases) to heal properly. Throughout the recovery period, the patient will have to wear a cast to provide support to the leg and foot during walking and other activities. And even after the cast is removed, the doctor will suggest wearing a leg brace to assist in movements, reduce the weight-bearing forces, and correct the shape of the body.
Pristyn Care is one of the leading health tech startups in India dedicated to simplifying the surgical experience of patients. We not only help the patients with their digital journey but also provide complete assistance in the treatment journey.
It doesn’t matter where you reside in India, we try our best to provide medical care to everyone who needs it. We handle the various aspects of the treatment, including:
From the moment you get in touch with us till the day you have recovered completely, our representatives will be available round-the-clock and ensure that there are no obstacles in your journey.
Pristyn Care has the best team of vascular surgeons across major cities. Our doctors have more than 8 years of experience and have expert knowledge of the advanced treatment methods that can be used for foot ulcer treatment. You can get in touch with our doctors by making a call or filling the “Book Appointment” form.
The doctor will discuss everything during the initial consultation and examine the ulcer. After diagnosis, the doctor will determine the best course of action to treat the ulcer effectively. If necessary, the doctor will recommend surgical treatment and use advanced USFDA-approved technology to help restore leg function and mobility.
More than 15% of patients who have diabetes suffer from diabetic foot ulcers at some point in life. Thus, it is very common to develop a foot ulcer if you don’t pay attention to the condition and manage it properly.
No. A diabetic foot ulcer cannot and should not be treated at home. In most cases, the ulcer becomes infected which further delays the healing process increasing the chances of infection. Removing the infection is not possible with home remedies. You should always consult a doctor for proper treatment of foot ulcers.
A foot ulcer won’t heal if you have peripheral artery disease (PAD). It will cause malfunctioning in the circulatory system which won’t allow the ulcer to heal properly. For a non-healing ulcer, you should know that there are minimally invasive treatment methods available for such ulcers.
Yes. You can use certain creams or moisturizers to promote the healing of the diabetic ulcer. Doctors often advise patients that contain urea as it will create a barrier film over the wound and aids in healing.
The signs of infection in a diabetic foot ulcer are quite obvious. You will experience pain, tenderness, sensitiveness, and firmness in the wound. In addition to the pain, you may also notice swelling or irritation in your foot.
Gangrene in the foot ulcer looks normal at first. However, as the condition becomes serious, the skin will turn pale, then gray, and ultimately purplish red. The skin tissues will start dying off and the muscles underneath will be exposed.
No. Treatment of diabetic foot ulcers using antibiotics won’t be required if the ulcer is not infected. In case mild soft tissue infection is present, it can be treated using oral antibiotics such as clindamycin, dicloxacillin, cephalexin, etc.
