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The Science and Utility of Offloading the Diabetic Foot

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Functional Limb Salvage

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Abstract

Diabetes mellitus affects over 400 million people worldwide and this number is expected to double in the next 25 years. For people living with diabetes, approximately 25% of them will develop a diabetic foot ulcer and subsequently a 40% risk of lower extremity amputation. The harsh reality is that a large number of ulcerations that lead to amputation can be prevented. Offloading, whether it be by conservative or surgical methods, is paramount in both prevention and treatment of diabetic foot ulcerations. Understanding the etiology and biomechanics of each patient will guide the practitioner in choosing the appropriate offloading technique to use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MedStar Washington Hospital Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    Caitlin S. Zarick, Kurtis D. Bertram & Thomas F. Milisits

Authors
  1. Caitlin S. Zarick
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  2. Kurtis D. Bertram
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  3. Thomas F. Milisits
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Caitlin S. Zarick .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plastic Surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    Christopher E. Attinger

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery, Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA

    John S. Steinberg

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Zarick, C.S., Bertram, K.D., Milisits, T.F. (2023). The Science and Utility of Offloading the Diabetic Foot. In: Attinger, C.E., Steinberg, J.S. (eds) Functional Limb Salvage. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27725-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27725-2_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-27724-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-27725-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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