loading… New Australian research has been published confirming the high amputation risk for people with diabetes and end-stage renal disease. In a retrospective chart review, researchers at the James Cook University (Townsville) looked at all patients attending the Townsville Dialysis Center between 2009 and 2013. They found 9 major and 20 minor lower limb amputations,…

loading… Professor Jeffcoate and colleagues have published a paper in the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology that is a must read for anyone who wants to execute or read scientific studies on diabetic foot ulcers. Their paper, on behalf of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot and the European Wound Management Association, describes the…

loading… In 2015, it can be said that the diabetic foot is no longer the Cinderella of diabetic complications.Thirty years ago there was little evidence-based research taking place on the diabetic foot, and there were no international meetings addressing this topic. Seven systematic reviews are published as part of the IWGDF Guidance, with over 100…

loading… Careful classification of each diabetic foot ulcer you treat is needed to understand outcomes of treatment. Dr. Game presents an overview of the various systems that are available. She rightfully criticises the number of systems, and the lack of validation of many of them. Depending on your purpose (research, clinical description or auditing), she…

loading… Prevention has traditionally been a bit of the neglected child in the diabetic foot family, but the 2015 Guidance and this special issue are trying to make up for that. Not only with a new chapter in the Guidance (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dmrr.2696/abstract) and a systematic review on prevention (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dmrr.2701/abstract), also with five nice proceeding papers. Dr.…

loading… With the crucial role played in the healing of diabetic foot ulcers, assessment of presence or absence of peripheral artery disease is crucial. This can, however, be difficult because of the often complex, diffuse and distal nature of peripheral artery disease in patients with diabetes, as well as poor collateralisation and heavy vascular calcification.…

loading… Infections are a well-known danger in patients with a diabetic foot ulcer. To limit poor outcomes, adequate diagnosis needs to be followed by adequate treatment. Dr. Peters and Prof. Lipsky describe in two articles the pitfalls and dangers in diagnosis and treatment of diabetic foot infections. When diagnosing infection, Peters and Lipsky stress clinicians…

loading… Drs. Garwood and Steinberg critically discuss the current situation in wound healing products, starting with describing the high influx of emerging wound care modalities, while lacking adequate research. They continue with describing the positive outcomes from negative pressure wound therapy, and the mixed outcomes on both cellular and tissue based products, as well as…

loading… The Charcot foot remains an intriguing topic. Despite having a rather small incidence rate in comparison to foot ulcers or amputation, it is a topic that receives a fair bit of attention in research. That is probably explained by the challenging (and interesting) medical questions on the one hand, and the devastating consequences for…

loading… Four articles in the special issue are written for a surgical audience The first two deal with the Charcot foot, we have discussed the m here. Prof. Tagoe and his colleagues from the UK discuss the place of Achilles Tendon Lengthening. After some historical and surgical information on this procedure, they discuss the evidence…