Assessing skin temperatures in the diabetic foot can help identify patients at a high risk for various complications. Accordingly, this author shares insights from the research on the possible advantages of using digital thermometry as a self-assessment tool to help prevent diabetic foot ulcers.

Preventing foot ulceration and re-ulceration in high-risk patients with diabetes is a challenge. Clinical outcomes are much better when high-risk patients receive proper foot care, education and protective shoes. There is a growing body of work which demonstrates that programs aimed at treatm

Recent advances with growth factor therapy have created more possibilities for wound care. These authors review currently available modalities and emerging treatments, and survey the literature on the effectiveness of growth factor therapy for chronic wounds.

The future of growth factor therapy in wound care is advancing rapidly. There is also increasing evidence in the literature to support the efficacy of growth factors in wounds, particularly chronic wounds, and how they can help facilitate desired healing outcomes. With advances in research over the past decades, physicians and r

Do Trauma Patients With Diabetes Face Higher Complication Rates?

Patients with diabetes face a higher risk of complications in a number of areas. A large study recently published in the Archives of Surgery notes that those with diabetes also face more complications from trauma surgery.

From 1984 to 2002, researchers examined 12,489 patients with diabetes, matching their ages, sex and injury severity with 12,489 non-diabetic patients from 27 Pennsylvania trauma centers. The study concluded that patients with diabetes spent more time in the intensive care unit and received venti

A 37-year-old Caucasian male presents with a chief complaint of a nodular growth on the left calf. He first noticed the bump about two months ago but says he did not think too much about it until recently. At that time, he noticed it was causing mild discomfort when he touched it but the growth was only slightly pruritic. The lesion did not appear to be infected and it did not drain or bleed at any time. He says he checked the rest of his body for any similar looking lesions and found none. Otherwise, he has no other complaints or concerns.

The patient has not changed his diet or eating hab

For professional athletes and weekend warriors alike, having the right shoe and the correct fit can mean the difference between participating and sitting on the sidelines. Since most podiatrists now fit shoes in their offices, it is imperative that they develop a true expertise in this critical aspect of foot care, particularly with respect to the special needs of athletes. Providing proper shoe fit and selection for active individuals holds great potential for both injury prevention and for practice expansion.

When podiatrists themselves fit patients with athletic shoes, it fills a void in