Abstract
A simple practical approach to the evaluation and examination of the diabetic foot is described which informs the practitioner how to carry out a comprehensive assessment. From this, a diagnostic classification and staging of the foot can be made which will enable the correct treatment to be performed.
The diabetic foot can be classified into two main clinical groups:
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1.
The neuropathic foot
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2.
The ischaemic foot
The neuropathic foot may be further stratified into two clinical scenarios.
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1.
Foot with neuropathic ulceration
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2.
Charcot foot, which may become ulcerated ands infected
The ischaemic foot may be stratified into three clinical scenarios:
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1.
Neuroischaemic foot characterised by mild or moderate ischaemia and neuropathy
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2.
Severely ischaemic foot otherwise known as the critically ischaemic foot
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3.
Acutely ischaemic foot
Each of these five main clinical scenarios are characterised by having specific stages in their natural history. These stages have been described in a Simple Staging System which describes five stages in the natural history of each of the five clinical scenarios. It enables all practitioners to make an initial assessment of the diabetic foot and establish at what stage the foot may be in its natural history. The stage then determines treatment.
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Edmonds, M., Kesavan, R., Bal, A. (2023). Evaluation and Examination of 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_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27725-2_9
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