HOW TO HELP DIABETIC-PATIENTS AVOID AMPUTATION - PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF FOOT ULCERS

Foot ulcers are a weighty complication of diabetes whose significance is often underestimated. They are associated with a high degree of mor bidity and mortality, and treatment is laborious and costly. The probl em of susceptibility to foot ulceration is best addressed through a pr evention program emphasizing patient education, pedal hygiene, regular follow-up visits, and lifestyle modification. Such programs are most efficiently administered by a healthcare team. When ulcers do occur, i t is important to take a systematic approach to management, stressing infection control, metabolic stabilization, thorough debridement, and meticulous wound care.