Wounds and the Lower Extremity
If you suffer from a wound on your feet or legs, you are not alone. At Professional Foot and Ankle, we understand the need for specialized treatment plans in order to heal wounds efficiently and effectively.
There are multiple factors in which predispose a patient to wounds on their feet or lower extremities. The most common cause of wounds to the bottom of feet is neuropathy or diminished sensation to the feet. If you suffer from numbness in your feet, it is important to check your feet daily for cuts or discolorations. Another common cause of lower extremity wounds is impaired blood flow. If you have reduced circulation to your feet and you develop a wound, it may be difficult to heal. Early prevention and treatment for these wounds is crucial to maintaining healthy feet.
Wound Types
- Amputations
- Burns
- Complications from diabetes
- Lymphedema
- Pressure ulcers and deep tissue injuries
- Radiation
- Surgical Incisions
- Trauma
- Vascular and peripheral arterial disease ulcerations
- Venous insufficiency ulcerations
Treatment Options
At Professional Foot and Ankle, we offer a variety of treatment options involved in wound care management including:
- Simple dressing changes with appropriate wound care products for optimal healing
- Debridement
- A minor procedure where dead tissue is removed so the remaining viable tissue can adequately heal. This can be done mechanically by the physician or enzymatically with topical wound products to stimulate healing
- Compression therapy
- A simple and effective means of increasing blood flow activity in the legs through strengthening vein support.
- Bio-engineered Skin Substitutes
- Skin grafts are used to promote healthy tissue growth. These grafts are placed directly on the wound surface to promote healing. Such grafts include mesenchymal stem cells typically derived from placental tissue that contain growth factors needed to heal wounds.
- Vacuum-assisted Closure
- Applies sub-atmospheric pressure directly to the wound site and increases blood flow as well as removes unhealthy tissue from wounds to aid in healing.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
- The physicians at Professional Foot and Ankle Centers are on staff at nearby wound care centers which provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is a therapy where you breathe 100% oxygen at an elevated pressure in a monoplace (single person) chamber. Wounds often have reduced oxygen supply which impairs wound healing. This therapy is designed to raise tissue oxygen levels in and around the wound to enhance wound healing activity. Therapy is administered for 90-120 minutes once or twice daily.
When to Seek Medical Advice
If you or someone you know has a foot or leg wound with numbness or compromised circulation, it is best to seek the advice of a foot and ankle specialist as soon as possible. Early treatment and education leads to prevention of future wounds and ultimately saves limbs and lives. The doctors and staff at Professional Foot and Ankle are here to help. We offer the most up to date and advanced wound care techniques to treat and heal even the most difficult foot and leg wounds.