“I take longer to heal because I have Diabetes”.

This is a statement many patients coming to see Dr. Geller at Desert Foot Surgeons say their first visit. Unfortunately this is a rumor that makes a convenient excuse. When diabetes is controlled you not only reduce your risk of complications such as heart disease, blindness, and kidney failure, but you heal like anyone else.

One out of ten people you meet in the United States has diabetes. Out of the people you know with diabetes, at least one has developed a hole in their skin known as a foot ulcer. The feet are most affected by loss of feeling and circulation. Diabetic foot ulcers are caused by one or both of these complications. What prolongs healing is poor circulation to your legs and feet or walking on an open sore because there is no pain.

Dr. Geller has a special interest in wound healing. At Desert Foot Surgeons we don’t wait for wounds to heal. Wounds are made to heal by fixing poor circulation, getting your weight off of the wound using total contact casting, and even surgery to correct buckled toes, lumps on feet, or skin grafts to cover the defect. Control of your diabetes and compliance with the plan of care is the patient’s role. Healing diabetic foot ulcerations takes a team and the patient is the major player.

If you have a diabetic foot ulcer and have been told you can’t heal because you have diabetes, come and see Dr. Geller at Desert Foot Surgeons.

Before And After Pictures,

(After)

Before Pictures :
WARNING – Click Here for Graphic Images – WARNING

Of adults over 40 years of age in the United States, about 4.5% have peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This is a lack of circulation to your legs and feet.  Healing an ulceration where there is a lack of circulation is very challenging for you and your doctor.  The most important part of healing these open sores is bringing blood into the foot.  Dr. Geller works with vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists and radiologists who can help with this part of your care.  The actual care of the open wound is determined by Dr. Geller.  This will involve something to keep pressure off the sore and medication applied to the wound.  At Desert Foot Surgeons you will find a physician with the expertise and experience needed to develop a program that best suits your needs.

Those of you who have healed an arterial ulceration have suffered a great deal of pain and possibly even undergone surgical correction of the poor artery circulation.  If this is not enough reason to quit smoking I don’t know what is. Part of your recovery will be walking for exercise to increase circulation even if you had surgery. Since most arterial ulcerations are on the feet you will need protection of the scar by shoes and possibly inserts. Your heels may need to be protected while lying in bed. Moisturizing dry skin using specific foot creams is also recommended to help prevent new or recurrent ulcerations.

Dr. Stephen Geller, AZ Podiatrist