Among all patients suffering from diabetes, 25 percent of them will develop a foot ulcer. A diabetic foot ulcer is a sore on your feet or anywhere below the ankle. If an ulcer is left untreated it can become life-threatening, and amputation will be required to prevent further damage to your overall health. Of course prevention, is always the best remedy. In one of my recent blog posts I shared tips on how to prevent/care for diabetic foot wounds, as well as what symptoms should never be ignored.

Not all of my patients suffering from a diabetic foot ulcer need to have an amputation. If a patient does need an amputation, it could involve:

A portion of the foot
The entire foot
The foot plus part of the leg

What the amputation will involve depends on how far the infection has spread, but a below-knee amputation is common for patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers. Often a a below-knee amputation will involve removal of the leg at some point along the tibia, which is one of the two bones that run from the knee to the ankle.

The Risks of Amputation

In my experience patients have to work much harder to maintain the activity level they had prior to amputation. On average after an amputation, a patient has to expend 50 to 125 percent more energy to maintain their level of activity. Other more serious risks are:

Loss or lessened mobility
Risk of infection, which can lead to further amputation
Increased risk of death following the surgery

An Alternative

An alternative to amputation is limb salvage. Limb salvage is the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers before amputation becomes necessary. Limb salvage will always be my first priority for my patients with diabetic foot ulcers. The key to limb salvage is early intervention if a patient waits too long and the infection spreads the chances of limb salvage being effective drop drastically. From my limb salvage work, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern NY, I have had an incredible success rate of helping my patients not only avoid amputation but also work with them to develop a tailor-made ongoing treatment plan to ensure their health.

There are major benefits to limb salvage in comparison to amputation. You will have increased mobility which means you can be more active and overall healthier. Also, limb salvage is usually less expensive than amputation. As I said before limb salvage will always be my first choice of treatment for any of my patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, but early intervention is key. If you think you may have a foot ulcer and you suffer from diabetes please make an appointment with my office as soon as possible.

If your diabetes is affecting your feet there could be serious life-altering complications. If you notice tingling or any of the changes listed above please give my office a call today to make an appointment. Early intervention is key to preventing serious damage to your feet.

River Podiatry, with locations in Pearl River NY, and Midland Park NJ, provides comprehensive, treatment of patients with podiatric issues. The practice specializes in foot surgery and the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Expect the best possible care utilizing the most modern techniques. Make an appointment today with Rockland County and Bergen County podiatrist Dr. Han!

AMPUTATION: THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOR A PATIENT SUFFERING FROM DIABETIC FOOT PROBLEMS