Diabetes is a complex disease with the potential to affect all organs and organ systems. Modern diabetes therapy consists of a lifelong structured management, focused on three corner stones: medication, regular check-up examinations to assure early diagnosis of complication, and lifestyle changes including physical exams and refraining from smoking and from alcohol.
The “diabetic foot” is a frequent and severe complication and occurs in 4-10% of diabetic patients. There is a variety of symptoms ranging from cool, pale feet, blue discoloration of the toe, pain or cramps in the feet when walking to the development of chronic ulcer or gangrene.
A daily self-care regime to protect your feet is advisable for every diabetic and can prevent or at least delay the onset of clinical disease (reference to peter’s article).
Annual screening consultation by a specialized dermatologist is advocated to identify the smallest signs of an onset of a diabetic complication at an early stage and to start immediately respective treatment and to prevent more severe complications.
What will be examined at your diabetes tissue viability screening?
- Examination of your foot circulation (checking foot pulses, Ultrasound-Doppler exam)
- Sensibility assessment for pressure and vibration (using a tuning fork)
- Sensibility assessment for heat and cold
- Assessment of nerve function
- Inspection of the foot skeleton for malformation
- Assessment of skin and nails
Depending on the severity of the complication we can apply a wide range of therapeutic measures.
The availability of a highly specialized integrated multidisciplinary team, consisting of physicians, surgeons, nurses, podiatrists, pedo-orthotists is critical for the therapeutic success and an important precondition to avoid mutilating operations or even amputation of the limb.
Therapeutic options depend on the specific severity of the complication and include the following elements:
- General physical activities (“Fitness for your feet”)
- Medication (anti-inflammatory and vaso-dilatation, infection control,…)
- Modern dressing of chronic wounds
- Revascularisation (surgically or through interventional radiology)
- Surgical debridement, skin craft, Amputation (if the diagnosis was made too late or all other measures failed)
Please join our Amber Diabetes Registry or our Amber Diabetes Patient Education Program
Our highly specialized interdisciplinary Diabetes Care Team is looking forward to take care of you.
As Amber Clinics consider Diabetes Registry and Interactive Diabetes Education as a Corporate Social Responsibility, attendance of both programs is free of cost for everybody.
Please contact us if you have questions.
email: care@amberclinics.com
cell phone: 050 153 0873
Amber Clinics: Amber Clinics: Rigga, International City
Al Noor Polyclinics: Deira and Satwa
Dr Joseph Polyclinic: Karama, Qusais
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