Avoid amputation, go in for simple foot surgery early: Expert

Bangalore, May 25 (UNI) A simple corrective surgery can help avoid amputation of legs by patients suffering from diabetes.

According to an estimate, nearly 200,000 chronic diabetics lose their legs annually in India and this trend could be averted by treating the foot of the patients in the initial stage itself, noted Podiatric (foot and ankle) Surgeon Robert Frykberg of the US said yesterday.

He was speaking to newspersons here after performing surgical procedures, which was beamed live for the benefit of over 50 surgeons across the country, on patients with diabetic foot deformities that could prevent future leg amputations, at the Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences (JIVAS) here.

Dr Frykberg said such simple surgeries could save precious lives as it had been proved that a majority of those who underwent amputations had a shortened life span. This was because they would expend more energy while walking with the help of crutches, affecting their hearts. Moreover, Neuropathy, which caused nerve damage among the diabetes patients, often hindered circulation of blood to the heart, he said.

JIVAS Director and Vascular Surgeon Dr Suresh said the estimated two lakh amputations were underestimated as 60 per cent of hospitalisation cases among the diabeties were connected with foot problems. Damage to nerves and blood vessels of the legs were the main causes for amputation in diabetics.

The diabetic foot clinic at JIVAS yesterday launched InFoCes (Integrated Foot Care Services), which would offer the entire spectrum of both preventive and therapeutic foot care and podiatry surgery for correction of foot deformities to prevent ulceration and decrease the chances of amputation.

UNI