Salvage of the diabetic and dysvascular foot

Diabetes and its associated complications continue to be a complex challenge. It is a major public health problem with a prevalence of approximately 5% of the United States population. Diabetic foot problems remain the most common cause of hospitalizations in this subset of patients. Although the majority of these diabetic foot problems may be treated conservatively, operative intervention is intermittently required. Recently, advances in the understanding of the disease process have demanded a more aggressive approach toward the diabetic foot and its salvage, with a greater emphasis on early surgical intervention.