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Diabetic Foot

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Vascular Diseases for the Non-Specialist

Abstract

The diabetic foot is defined as the presence of ulcer, infection, or deep tissue breakdown in a foot of a person with diabetes, in association with peripheral neuropathy and/or peripheral arterial disease. Diabetic foot ulcers, the leading cause of diabetic patients’ hospitalization, are among the most common, serious, and costly complications of diabetes mellitus and results in major consequences for patients, their families and society. The pathophysiologic background consists in a neuropathic foot, with the loss of protective sensation, leaving the foot vulnerable to repetitive trauma. Furthermore, the association of vascular disease and the predisposition to infection completes the triad which ultimately leads to amputation. The management of diabetic foot is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Once established, it is a marker of poor limb prognosis, and, as always, the prevention is the most effective strategy.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Vascular Surgery, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Professor Alfredo Balena, 110, Santa Efigênia, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Rafael Henrique Rodrigues Costa M.D.

  2. Department of Physiotherapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Ligia de Loiola Cisneros B.Physio., M.Sc., Ph.D.

  3. Department of Vascular Surgery, Hospital Universitário Risoleta Tolentino Neves, Rua das Gabirobas, 01 Vila Clóris, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Alessandra Rocha Luz

Authors
  1. Rafael Henrique Rodrigues Costa M.D.
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  2. Ligia de Loiola Cisneros B.Physio., M.Sc., Ph.D.
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  3. Alessandra Rocha Luz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rafael Henrique Rodrigues Costa M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Vascular Surgery, Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Tulio Pinho Navarro

  2. Yale Univ School Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Alan Dardik

  3. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Daniela Junqueira

  4. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizone, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Ligia Cisneros

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Costa, R.H.R., Cisneros, L.d.L., Luz, A.R. (2017). Diabetic Foot. In: Navarro, T., Dardik, A., Junqueira, D., Cisneros, L. (eds) Vascular Diseases for the Non-Specialist. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46059-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46059-8_13

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