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DiTROLIO PODIATRY
12-25 150th StreetWhitestone, NY 11357(718) 767-0202
For New Jersey location, please call (201) 664-0225 or click here
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Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention

Our team of specialists and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you. Or, for a more comprehensive search of our entire Web site, enter your term(s) in the search bar provided.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

People with diabetes are prone to having foot problems, often because of two complications of diabetes: nerve damage (neuropathy) and poor circulation. Neuropathy causes loss of feeling in your feet, taking away your ability to feel pain and discomfort, so you may not detect an injury or irritation. Poor circulation in your feet reduces your ability to heal, making it hard for even a tiny cut to resist infection.

Having diabetes increases the risk of developing a wide range of foot problems. Furthermore, with diabetes, small foot problems can turn into serious complications.

Diabetes-related Foot and Leg Problems

  • Infections and ulcers (sores) that don’t heal. An ulcer is a sore in the skin that may go all the way to the bone. Because of poor circulation and neuropathy in the feet, cuts or blisters can easily turn into ulcers that become infected and won’t heal. This is a common – and serious – complication of diabetes and can lead to a loss of your foot, your leg, or your life.
  • Corns and calluses. When neuropathy is present, you can’t tell if your shoes are causing pressure and producing corns or calluses. Corns and calluses must be properly treated or they can develop into ulcers.
  • Dry, cracked skin. Poor circulation and neuropathy can make your skin dry. This may seem harmless, but dry skin can result in cracks that may become sores and can lead to infection.
  • Nail disorders. Ingrown toenails (which curve into the skin on the sides of the nail) and fungal infections can go unnoticed because of loss of feeling. If they are not properly treated, they can lead to infection.
  • Hammertoes and bunions. Nerve damage affecting muscles can cause muscle weakness and loss of tone in the feet, resulting in hammertoes and bunions. If left untreated, these deformities can cause ulcers.
  • Charcot foot. This is a complex foot deformity. It develops as a result of loss of sensation and an undetected broken bone that leads to destruction of the soft tissue of the foot. Because of neuropathy, the pain of the fracture goes unnoticed and the patient continues to walk on the broken bone, making it worse. This disabling complication is so severe that surgery, and occasionally amputation, may become necessary.
  • Poor blood flow. In diabetes, the blood vessels below the knee often become narrow and restrict blood flow. This prevents wounds from healing and may cause tissue death.

What Your Foot and Ankle Surgeon Can Do
Your foot and ankle surgeon can help wounds heal, preventing amputation. There are many new surgical techniques available to save feet and legs, including joint reconstruction and wound healing technologies. Getting regular foot checkups and seeking immediate help when you notice something can keep small problems from worsening. Your foot and ankle surgeon works together with other health care providers to prevent and treat complications from diabetes.

Your Proactive Measures
You play a vital role in reducing complications. Follow these guidelines and contact your foot and ankle surgeon if you notice any problems:

  • Inspect your feet daily. If your eyesight is poor, have someone else do it for you. Inspect for:
    • Skin or nail problems: Look for cuts, scrapes, redness, drainage, swelling, bad odor, rash, discoloration, loss of hair on toes, injuries, or nail changes (deformed, striped, yellowed or discolored, thickened, or not growing).
    • Signs of fracture: If your foot is swollen, red, hot, or has changed in size, shape, or direction, see your foot and ankle surgeon immediately.
  • Don’t ignore leg pain. Pain in the leg that occurs at night or with a little activity could mean you have a blocked artery. Seek care immediately.
  • Nail cutting. If you have any nail problems, hard nails, or reduced feeling in your feet, your toenails should be properly trimmed.
  • No “bathroom surgery.” Never trim calluses or corns yourself, and don’t use over-the-counter medicated pads.
  • Keep floors free of sharp objects. Make sure there are no needles, insulin syringes, or other sharp objects on the floor.
  • Don’t go barefoot. Wear shoes, indoors and outdoors.
  • Check shoes and socks. Shake out your shoes before putting them on. Make sure your socks aren’t bunched up.
  • Have your circulation and sense of feeling tested. Your foot and ankle surgeon will perform tests to see if you’ve lost any feeling or circulation.

When Is Amputation Necessary?
Even with preventative care and prompt treatment of infection and complications, there are instances when amputation is necessary to remove infected tissue, save a limb, or even save a life.


Patient Education

Patient Education Menu
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Accessory Navicular Syndrome
  • Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
  • Achilles Tendon Rupture
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Ankle Arthritis
  • Ankle Fractures
  • Chronic Ankle Instability
  • Ankle Pain
  • Ankle Sprain
  • Arch Pain
  • Arch Supports
  • Athlete's Foot
  • Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Black Toenails
  • Bone Healing
  • Bone Infection
  • Bone Tumors in the Foot
  • Brachymetararsia
  • Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus)
  • Bursitis
  • Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Calf Pain
  • Callus
  • Capsulitis of the Second Toe
  • Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot)
  • Charcot Foot
  • Clubfoot
  • Cold Feet
  • Compartment Syndrome
  • Contact Dermatitis
  • Corns
  • Cracked Heels
  • Crutch Use
  • Custom Orthotic Devices
  • Cyst-Ganglion
  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
  • Dermatitis
  • Diabetic Complications and Amputation Prevention
  • Diabetic Foot Care Guidelines
  • Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Diabetic Shoes
  • Drop Foot
  • Dry Heels
  • DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
  • Eczema of the Foot
  • Equinus
  • Extra Bones
  • Fallen Arches
  • Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fifth Metatarsal Fracture
  • Flatfoot-Adult Acquired
  • Flatfoot-Flexible
  • Flatfoot-Pediatric
  • Flexible Flatfoot
  • Foot Arthritis
  • Foot Bumps
  • Foot Drop
  • Foot Fracture
  • Foot Lumps
  • Foot Odor
  • Foot Rash
  • Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Fracture-Ankle
  • Fracture-Foot
  • Fractures of the Calcaneus (Heel Bone Fractures)
  • Fractures of the Fifth Metatarsal
  • Fracture-Toe
  • Frostbite
  • Fungal Nails
  • Ganglion Cyst
  • Gangrene
  • Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Gout
  • Haglund's Deformity
  • Hallux Rigidus
  • Hammertoes
  • Heel Bone Fractures
  • Heel Cracks
  • Heel Fissures
  • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
  • High-Arched Foot
  • Inflammation: Actue
  • Ingrown Toenails
  • Instructions for Using Crutches
  • Intermetatarsal Neuroma
  • Intoeing
  • Joint Pain in the Foot
  • Joint Swelling in the Foot
  • Jones Fracture
  • Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Lisfranc Injuries
  • Lumps
  • Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
  • MRSA Infection of the Foot
  • Orthotics
  • Os Trigonum Syndrome
  • Osteoporosis
  • Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
  • Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
  • Osteopenia
  • P.A.D. (Peripheral Arterial Disease)
  • Pediatric Flatfoot
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.)
  • Peripheral Neuropathy: Diabetic
  • Peroneal Tendon Injuries
  • Pigeon-toes
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Plantar Fibroma
  • Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
  • Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
  • Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
  • Puncture Wounds
  • Rash
  • Raynauds Phenomenon
  • Restless Legs
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
  • R.I.C.E Protocol
  • Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Running Injuries
  • Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
  • Shin Splints
  • Shoe Inserts
  • Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
  • Smelly Feet
  • Soccer Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Soft Tissue Biopsy
  • Softball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Sports Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Staph Infections of the Foot
  • Stress Fracture in the Foot
  • Sweaty Feet
  • Swollen Ankles
  • Swollen Feet
  • Synovitis
  • Tailor's Bunion
  • Talar Dome Lesion
  • Tarsal Coalition
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Thick Toenails
  • Tingly Feet
  • Tired Feet
  • Toe and Metatarsal Fractures (Broken Toes)
  • Toe Walking
  • Turf Toe
  • Ulcers/Wounds
  • Varicose Veins
  • Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
  • Warts
  • Weak Ankles
  • Webbed Toes
  • White Toenails
  • Wounds/Ulcers
  • Wounds-Puncture
  • Yellow Toenails
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Whitestone, NY 11357
(718) 767-0202

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