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Diagnosis and Management of Diabetic Foot Infections

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Management of Diabetic Foot Complications

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Abstract

Infection in the diabetic foot is a unique clinical entity that correlates with increased risk of poor clinical outcomes, hospital admissions, lower extremity amputation and potentially life-threatening sepsis. Diabetic Foot Infections (DFI) are common and can present to any primary, secondary or tertiary care setting. Management requires multi-disciplinary input from diabetology, vascular surgery, podiatry and orthopaedic teams where needed. Diabetic patients are frequently multi-comorbid and so foot assessments can be forgotten. Monitoring with regular foot assessments enables early referral to a diabetic foot team and improved outcomes. A consistent evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and evaluation of DFI is useful for all clinicians to optimise care and avoid complications.

Considerations when approaching a Diabetic Foot Infection (DFI):

  1. 1.

    Diagnosis: Is it infected? Definition and Challenges

  2. 2.

    Clinical Evaluation: What is the Extent and Severity?

  3. 3.

    Diagnostic Evaluation: Radiological and Microbiological considerations

  4. 4.

    Management:

    1. (a)

      In-patient or out-patient management

    2. (b)

      Antibiotic choice

    3. (c)

      Intravenous or oral route

    4. (d)

      Duration of antimicrobial therapy

    5. (e)

      Need for surgery

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Dr. Colin Macloed and Dr. James Barnacle for their help with review and proofreading of the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK

    Melanie Manjula Pathiraja

Authors
  1. Melanie Manjula Pathiraja
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Correspondence to Melanie Manjula Pathiraja .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Clifford P. Shearman

  2. Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Frimley, UK

    Patrick Chong

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Pathiraja, M.M. (2023). Diagnosis and Management of Diabetic Foot Infections. In: Shearman, C.P., Chong, P. (eds) Management of Diabetic Foot Complications. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05832-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05832-5_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-05831-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-05832-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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