ABSTRACT
Foot ulcers are one of the major complications of diabetes. They have a poor tendency
to heal, which may result in long-term in-hospital treatment and/or amputation. The
foot in diabetic patients is the crossroads of several pathological processes, in
which almost all components of the lower extremity are involved: skin, subcutaneous
tissue, muscles, bones, joints, blood vessels, and nerves. An understanding of these
processes is necessary for the development and application of preventative and management
strategies. In this article the pathogenesis of the major abnormalities in the diabetic
foot are described, the pathways to ulceration are summarized, and a systematic evaluation
of a diabetic patient with a foot ulcer is given.
KEYWORDS
Diabetic foot - peripheral polyneuropathy - peripheral vascular disease - wound healing
- pathophysiology
