Diabetes is increasingly common, probably due to Western lifestyles and diet. Diabetics develop a number of problems with their feet
- Infections
- Stiff deformities
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Ulceration
- Charcot neuropathic arthropathy
These are serious complications which seriously affect quality of life. They lead to restricted mobility, systemic ill-health, hospitalisation and reduced lifespan. 60% of lower limb amputations occur in diabetics. The costs of caring for people with diabetic foot disease are substantial.
Prevention, early treatment and good aftercare can reduce the burden of diabetic foot disease for diabetics themselves and for the community. This requires good teamworking, bringing together:
- diabetologists
- orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons
- podiatrists
- vascular surgeons
- wound care specialists
- orthotists and bioengineers
Diabetics have many other potentially serious problems:
- cardiovascular disease, including periperal arterial disease
- renal disease
- eye disease
- increased susceptibility to infection
which may influence the feasibility, success and risks of surgery and which call for the involvement of many specialists. The diabetic patient can contribute a lot to their own treatment and may find organisations like the British Diabetic Association helpful.