Amputation: Saving What You Can
Imagine the leg is like a tree. When diabetes affects blood vessels, it's like a disease attacking the tree's roots and branches. This can cause problems like:
Poor blood flow: Less "water" (blood) reaches the leaves (feet).
Nerve damage: The tree's signals to the roots and leaves get mixed up.
Infection: Bugs can easily attack a weakened tree.
When parts of the tree (foot) are too damaged and can't be saved, doctors might decide to cut off a part of the tree (foot or leg) to save the rest (body). Limb salvage is the ultimate goal in dealing with diabetic complications like ulcerations, soft tissue and bone infections or vascular problems like gangrene. Sometimes complications are so severe that amputations are a necessity.
Why remove part of the foot or leg?
Stop the infection: Cutting away the infected part prevents the disease from spreading.
Prevent further damage: Removing the damaged area stops the problem from getting worse.
Improve quality of life: Being able to walk and do daily activities is much easier with a healthy leg and prosthesis
The goal is to save as much of the leg as possible. We will always try to keep as much of foot as we can, but sometimes, removing the lower part of the leg is the best way to protect a persons overall health. A team approach to limb salvage is always best. This includes various medical specialists including podiatry, infectious disease, vascular surgery, endocrinology, and prosthetics.
Dr Paul "Saver" Betschart
The Foot Book Doctor
Healthy Feet Happy Life
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