Diabetes Centre :
Foot care - Speciality Clinic |
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 We are pleased
to inform you that K. L. E'S Hospital & M.R.C. Belgaum has
opened an Independent "FOOT CARE
SPECIALITY CLINIC" attached to
DIABETES CENTRE headed
by Dr. M. V. Jali MD, FICS, Director Diabetes Centre
and Assisted by Dr. Aruna Porwal, Diabetes Foot Care
Specialist. This is one of the unique clinic specialized in
diabetic foot care.
Background :
The prevalence
of potential foot problems among diabetic patients is very
high. Many patients who have had diabetes for several years
do not know exactly how diabetes affects the foot. The
accelerated vascular (Blood supplying vessels) and
neurological complications of diabetes lead to distinct
clinical problems in the foot. It is therefore inevitable
that many diabetic patients at some point will develop foot
problems that ultimately may lead to amputation. Proper
foot care by specialists is of paramount importance in
preventing the foot problems in diabetics.
It is well
documented scientifically that proper foot care and patient
education decreases diabetic foot problems. The quality of
foot care in India needs much improvement. The poor
knowledge of foot - care among diabetic patients, lack of
proper foot-care medical specialists, even delayed referral
of patients with foot infection to specialists is some of
the important factors responsible for high incidence of the
foot problems in India
Podiatry
service in India.
Unlike in the
western countries and
USA there are no
professional and qualified podiatrists (who are
specialised in foot care) in
many of the developing countries including
India. This is
an important factor for the poor quality of diabetic foot
care in
India. A
specially designed foot-care clinic would therefore help to
create awareness among people, about the need for developing
podiatry service in this part of Karnataka under the
emerging KLES Diabetes Centre.
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Gangrenous Toe |
Foot Infection
with Gangrene |
An
overview of diabetes foot problems in 2000-2001
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7% of the
total admission of patients in KLES hospital had
diabetes and related problems. Of them, 11.62 % had
major foot complications ending with major lower
extremity amputations.
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In general
60-70 % of lower extremity amputations are due to
diabetes related foot problems.
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Foot
problems from diabetes cause more economic loss and
morbidity, and a significant number of these diabetics
are middle aged and are the sole bread earners for the
family. This brings a major psychological as well as
economic stress on their families.
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A
comprehensive foot care under the diabetes centre can
reduce the number of amputations and improve the quality
life of individual with diabetes.
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Prevention
is better then intervention in this regard.
The foot care
speciality clinic in Diabetes Centre in K.L.E.S Hospital is
well equipped to deal with several foot problems in
diabetics. The core group consists of Diabetologist,
surgeons and podiatrists (Foot care specialists). Adopting
an active policy of limb salvage procedures will reduce the
amputation rate.
The foot care
speciality clinic is specialised in taking care of several
potential foot problems like dry skin, in growing toenail,
heel fissures web space intertrigo, callus etc.
This diabetic
foot clinic provides comprehensive foot care and also
addresses the following foot problems, diagnose and offer
solutions under a single roof.
Independent units with designated function consisting of :
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Well-equipped modernized podiatry room for all podiatry
(foot care) procedures performed by the foot care
specialist.
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Orthotic
room for special orthotics, customized foot wear,
special material, insoles and foot moulds.
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Neurological
assessment of the foot. (By sensorimeter, special
tuning fork, and monofilament).
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Vascular
assessment and minivascular lab
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Minor OT for
foot procedures
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Counselling
/ patient education room.
The other allied
specialties like surgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery and
vascular surgery are well developed to provide comprehensive
"foot care" for diabetics. The patients’ progress is
intimated to the referring doctors who will continue to care
for the patient.
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