JAKARTA - One of the complications of diabetes that often occurs is diabetic foot. Diabetic foot is a term for various kinds of complications in the feet of diabetics, which are triggered by high blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar levels cause wounds on the feet to be easily infected. The low resistance and ability of the body of people with diabetes in the wound healing process can aggravate the infection, even making people with diabetes have to undergo amputation of the foot to stop the infection.
Therefore, it is very important for diabetics to detect early changes in the feet, especially if they are injured. With early detection, treatment can be quick and appropriate, so that amputation is avoided.
"Early detection, early management is very important to do," said Dr. Andrew Jackson Yang, Sp. B, Subsp. BVE (K), MARS, a vascular surgery subspecialist at Pondok Indah - Puri Indah Hospital, during a media meeting in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Signs of Diabetes FeetThe occurrence of diabetic foot is usually characterized by several changes in the patient's feet. Starting from wounds on the feet that do not heal, to pain felt in the feet when walking even if it is only a short distance.
"The wound on the foot that did not heal for 2 weeks was a warning sign. His feet were cold, painful when walking, like 100 meters 200 meters of pain is generally in the calf," he said.
If the wound is black, then there has been death in the tissue. This condition can lead to amputation, so that the infection does not spread.
"Blackened wounds, that is tissue death. The pulse in the legs is weak, can't be felt, or there is a history of amputation before, it must be monitored very closely," he added.
Diagnosing Diabetic Foot
In diagnosing diabetic foot, doctors will usually conduct an interview with the patient (anamnesis) and a physical examination, which includes the following.
- Feet that are too hot, swollen, and painful- Foot deformities- Protruding bones (eg, bunions)- Pressure points and even ulcers- Bone misalignment in the ankle- Dislocated joints and bone shifts
The diagnosis of diabetic foot will also include supporting examinations used to assess accompanying vascular disorders. Such as Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI), Doppler ultrasound, CT angiography, and angiography.
Diabetes Foot Management
To treat diabetic foot, a multidisciplinary approach is needed, which aims to prevent serious infections and amputations, as follows.
- Strict control of blood sugar- Wound cleaning (debridement) regularly- Control of infection including the use of antibiotics- Evaluation of blood flow- Revascularization if necessary- Perform follow-up wound care after the procedure- Reduce pressure (offloading) on the area of the wound
"Blood sugar control is very important. Then surgical wound cleaning, infection control with the right antibiotics," he explained.
One of the main methods of treating diabetic foot is revascularization, an action to restore blood flow to the affected tissue. Revascularization can be done through two main approaches, namely endovascular techniques (minimally invasive) and open surgery (blood vessel bypass surgery).
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