DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS

1. DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES YOU WILL SEE THE MIRACLE OF SURGICAL OFF-LOADING.

2. IN MANY CASES, SURGICAL OFF-LOADING OF ULCERS CAN BE THE SOLUTION TO YEARS OF FRUSTRATION…. AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN MEDICAL EXPENSE.

3. When this next patient first came to our clinic, he had suffered from these foot ulcers for 5 long years.

4. HE HAD BEEN TO MANY DOCTORS AND WOUND CARE CENTERS. HE HAD SPENT OVER $300,000 TRYING TO HEAL THESE WOUNDS .

5. THIS IS THE FOOT JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER SURGERY!!!

6. AFTER A SURGERY TO TAKE PRESSURE OFF THE WOUNDS AND A FEW WEEKS UNDER OUR CARE THIS PATIENT IS HEALED AND BACK IN SHOES. FOR THE FIRST TIME IS FIVE YEARS HE DOES NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT LOSING HIS FOOT!!!!!

7. About 6 weeks after surgery

8. This ulcer had been present for 6 months and was getting worse

9. Several weeks of good wound care made it smaller, but was not going to resolve the problem.

10. TWO WEEKS AFTER SURGERY THE WOUND IS CLOSING RAPIDLY

11. THE WOUND IS HEALED AND THE FOOT IS STABLE JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER THE SURGERY WAS PERFORMED

12. Two months after surgery

13. THIS NEXT ULCER IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST COMMON LOCATION FOR A FOOT ULCER IN A DIABETIC PATIENT They are usually easily treated with a small surgery to get the pressure off the toe.

14. THIS WOUND HAD BEEN PRESENT FOR ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THE PATIENT SEEING US. THIS PATIENT HAD SEEN THREE DOCTORS AND WAS LOSING HOPE. HE WAS REFERRED BY A FRIEND WHO HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM.

15. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN ONE WEEK AFTER HIS SURGERY TO OFF-LOAD THE ULCER HE WENT ON TO HEAL AND RETURNED TO NORMAL SHOES IN ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE SURGERY

16. THREE WEEKS AFTER SURGERY

17. Great toe ulcers In just two weeks this patient’s ulcer was healed and he returned to normal shoes after treating the wound for a year with conventional methods. Surgery can heal these ulcers very quickly and significantly lower the risk of future ulcers and amputations.

18. This ulcer had been present for 12 years and cost this patient most of the foot.

19. This patient had spent over $500,000.00 on wound care.

20. Most recently this patient had been to the University of Texas Limb Salvage and Wound Care Center, with no improvement in the wound.

21. This was taken 2 months after surgery and good wound care

22. For the first time in 12 years the wound is closing

23. CONCLUSION DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS ARE NOT SOLELY PROBLEM WTH THE SKIN. THE ULCER IS CAUSED BY UNEVEN PRESSURE AND FORCE ON THE FOOT!!!!

24. CONSLUCSION THE MOST LOGICAL WAY TO HEAL FOOT ULCERS IS NOT TO JUST TREAT THE SKIN…. BUT TO TREAT THE CAUSE!!!!

25. CONCLUSION: WITH A SOUND UNDERSTADING OF WHY ULCERS OCCUR AND CAREFUL SURGICAL PLANNING, SURGERY CAN OFFER HOPE TO MANY PATIENTS WHO HAVE LONG-STANDING FOOT WOUNDS.

26. CONSLUSION DR. SILVESTER HAS HELPED MANY PATIENTS FINALLY HEAL WOUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENT FOR YEARS DESPITE EXTENSIVE WOUND CARE.

27. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS A LONG STANDING FOOT ULCER…… WE WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU AND SEE IF WE CAN HELP.