Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Dr. Isin Mustafa, DPM, MSHS, DABPM
Advanced therapies in the treatment of complicated diabetic and non-diabetic foot wounds are helping save limbs and improve the quality of life for individual plagued by wounds that just won’t heal. Specifically, for the diabetic population, impaired healing of wounds often leads to frequent hospitalizations, increased health care costs and limb loss. Advanced wound healing therapies are now offered at Family Foot and Leg center.
Foot ulcers develop in about 15 % of the 25 million American’s living with diabetes. These foot ulcers can lead to serious complications including infection, osteomyelitis (bone infection), decreased quality of life and limb loss. Todays advanced treatment options help stimulate wound healing in people who would likely not be able to heal these wounds on their own. These advanced treatments are critical in the diabetic population who frequently have poor circulation, nerve damage and impaired immune response which all negatively affect the body ability to heal wounds.
One ground breaking therapy is the use of stem cells. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells found in blood, bone marrow and other human tissue. Stem cells have the ability to develop into many different types of cells. When applied directly to a wound, stem cells can help the body grow new tissue in order to heal the wound. The use of stem cells in diabetic related foot wounds has shown favorable results when looking at time to wound closure, number of treatments needed, and number of adverse events related to the wound. Other advanced wound healing therapy is the use of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). This consists of a wound dressing with an air tight seal and a drainage tube connected to a suction device. The suction enables healthy new tissue to grow. This device can also be combine with stem cells and other types of grafts.
If you or someone you know has a wound that has been present for a long time or is showing slow progress make sure to schedule an appointment with Family Foot and Leg center immediately. The longer you wait for treatment, there is a greater risk of limb loss. Your physician will evaluate you and determine why your wound is not healing. They can than develop a treatment plan with advance wound healing therapies if indicated.
Isin Mustafa, DPM, MSHS, DABPM
Isin Mustafa, DPM, is a Podiatrist at Family Foot & Leg Centers in Sarasota, FL. She is a Fellow of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons.
Call 239-430-3668 or visit www.NaplesPodiatrist.com to make an appointment. Visit FootHealthFacts.org to learn more about foot and ankle conditions.
3110 Fruitville Commons Blvd,
Suite 102
Sarasota, FL 34240
(239) 430 – 3668 (FOOT)
www.NaplesPodiatrist.com
