An orthopaedist’s review of diabetic foot wounds and osteomyelitis

As the number of patients with diabetes continues to grow, complications of diabetes have likewise increased. Specifically, diabetic foot ulcers have become a massive burden to both the diabetic patient population and national healthcare systems. Diabetic foot ulcers occur due to nerve damage as a result of extensive hyperglycemia. This nerve damage can allow the progression of ulceration, thus providing a window of opportunity for various pathogens to invade the surrounding tissue. Extensive infection of the ulcer tissue can lead to infection of nearby bone, which may require both surgical and antimicrobial intervention for proper wound healing. The aim of this review was to describe the etiology, pathological progressions, and the advancement of ideologies pertaining to treatment options for diabetic foot ulcers.
Source: Current Orthopaedic Practice - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Special Focus: Foot and Ankle Source Type: research