Management

Early referral to an expert Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) is likely to improve outcomes. A recent audit of diabetes foot care in England and Wales found that patients who were assessed by experts within two weeks were more likely to be free of foot ulcers at 12 weeks than patients who had to wait longer to be seen.

A coordinated team approach has also been shown to decrease the frequency of limb loss in diabetic patients worldwide (WUWHS, 2016).

Successful diagnosis and treatment of patients with DFUs involves a holistic approach that includes:

• Optimal diabetic control
• Effective local wound care
• Infection control
• Pressure relieving strategies
• Restoring pulsatile blood flow

As stated above, it is thought that worldwide, about half of all foot ulcers and amputations in people with diabetes could be prevented (Wounds International, 2013). Therefore, it is important that clinicians follow guidelines that aim to prevent and manage diabetic foot complications. The management of the diabetic foot requires input from all members of the multi-disciplinary team. It is important for each member of the team to work within a framework for classification and management.