Diabetes wounds can be some of the most challenging to treat, even for the most experienced wound care professionals. As the prevalence of diabetes continues to grow, with 38% of U.S. adults having prediabetes, whether you are new to wound care or a seasoned professional, you will most likely encounter patients with diabetes on an increasing basis.

The American Diabetes Association recognizes November as American Diabetes Month, and as of 2022, diabetes has affected 37.3 million people in the United States. Having diabetes can complicate and delay the healing process of any type of wound, including pressure injuries, venous ulcers, arterial ulcers, or trauma wounds.

However, diabetes wounds can be especially pervasive, as they are known to be slow to heal, and there are numerous reasons why. One reason is that the cells most responsible for healing cannot correctly function when the patient has elevated blood sugars or has developed hyperglycemia with an increased risk for arterial disease.

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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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