Having Diabetes means battling many different problems on a regular basis. People who are diagnosed with diabetes often have to watch their weight, nutrition and even the health of their feet. When they undergo special procedures such as tests or surgeries, they are at a higher risk for complications. It can be very scary to undergo surgery when suffering from diabetes. People with diabetes also tend to heal at a slower pace than those without the condition. Diabetes can have a drastic impact on the overall health of your body and how it handles small to major traumas. The effect of diabetes is so significant that many prominent researchers have begun to study the disease and how it relates to podiatry and its procedures.
A recent study from Duke University Medical Center shows that people with diabetes actually have a significantly higher risk for complications during surgeries and overall higher costs from those surgeries due to those complications. On average, patients with diabetes who had to undergo an ankle surgery experienced one additional hospitalization day than a person who did not suffer from diabetes. They also needed more specialized care from staff at the hospital.
This study allowed podiatrists and ankle surgeons everywhere to better understand the risk of surgery for those with diabetes as well as allow them to improve the quality of life for patients with diabetes who have to undergo ankle surgery. The case had 169,598 ankle fracture patients. Of those patients, 9,174 had diabetes. These patients with diabetes tended to have more severe fractures than those without diabetes. These patients also struggled with the surgery itself and the recovery process after the surgery.
Due to this study, the university was able to provide podiatrists with new information so that they can take more precautions when preparing a person with diabetes for ankle surgery. It also allows them to create a more comprehensive recovery plan as they noted that those with diabetes took longer to recover.
Do you have an ankle fracture and also suffer from diabetes? Want to get the best care possible? Call Dr. Alan J. Discont and Dr. Krahn of Family Foot & Ankle Care, PC located in Chandler, Arizona. Call 480-732-0033 or make an appointment online today. Take the guess work out of a surgical procedure.
