Diabetic Foot Treatment

Some people with diabetes also have lower extremity arterial disease, a condition that reduces blood flow to the legs and feet. This may prevent a foot injury from getting the nutrients it needs, delaying healing. Debridement is a procedure used to clean out dead or infected skin and tissue from a foot ulcer. It allows Dr Karatzias to assess the extent of the soft tissue damage and encourage healing. To perform this procedure, the doctor uses a sharp tool, such as a scalpel, to remove tissue from within and around the wound.

Debridement may be performed more than once over the course of weeks or months to promote healing. Dr Karatzias may also give you an ointment that destroys dead tissue. It is applied once a day at home until the wound has healed.