There are times when clinicians and patients have done all they can to prevent diabetic foot ulcers, and they still develop.

“The patients who develop a diabetic foot ulcer are the ones who fell through the cracks,” said Don Wollheim, MD, FAPWCA, WCC, DWC, a board-certified surgeon of the American Board of Surgery.

Wollheim has 25 years of experience in general/vascular surgery and 13 years as a wound care specialist and educator. He also is a medical-legal consultant, college science instructor and clinical instructor for the Wound Care Education Institute.

“Once a diabetic foot ulcer develops, it’s essential it is treated aggressively with proven, standardized methods, as 85% of the amputations performed on diabetic patients began as a diabetic foot ulcer,” Wollheim said.

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With more than 30 million people in the U.S. afflicted with diabetes, clinicians are very likely to encounter diabetic patients.

By Carole Jakucs, MSN, RN, PHN

Diabetic foot ulcers occur in approximately 15% of diabetic patients. And if you’re a wound care clinician, you’ll likely find yourself caring for patients with diabetic foot ulcers more often than not.

To learn more about the causes and how to prevent diabetic foot ulcers, we spoke with Don Wollheim, MD, FAPWCA, WCC, DWC, a board-certified surgeon of the American Board of Surgery.

He has 25 years of experience in general/vascular surgery and 13 years of experience as a wound care specialist and educator. Wollheim is also a medical-legal consultant, college science instructor and clinical instructor at the Wound Care Education Institute (WCEI).

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Whether you are new to wound care, or a seasoned veteran, you’ll most likely encounter patients with diabetes on a regular basis. And by far, the most common wounds seen in these patients are diabetic foot ulcers, said Bill Richlen, PT, WCC, DWC, clinical instructor for the Wound Care Education Institute.

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes has affected more than 31 million people in the U.S. since 2015.

“In addition to diabetic foot ulcers, diabetics can also get venous and pressure ulcers too,” said Richlen who also owns Infinitus LLC in Santa Claus, Ind., a wound care instruction and consulting company. “Having a diagnosis of diabetes can complicate and delay the healing process of any type of wound.”

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