Diabetic foot ulcers, a comprehensive approach – Review

Abstract

Diabetic foot ulcer represents a very severe complication of diabetes mellitus, often requiring foot amputation, leading to morbidity and higher mortality rates. Around one in six diabetic patients develops foot ulcers over their lifetime. Promoting a series of preventive measures including systemic control of diabetes and other comorbidities along with local foot care proved to be a valuable strategy. In addition to rigorous, active prevention, multidisciplinary therapeutic management of diabetic ulcers includes offloading techniques, ulcer debridement, advanced dressings and diabetic foot surgical treatment. In this article, we analyze each component of this sequential treatment plan, with emphasis on current indications and resources, having as main goals decreasing complication rate and morbidity, improving the quality of life and life expectancy of diabetic patients.