A new interventional imaging device could detect diabetic and venous ulcers early and allow an adapted intervention, according to a Florida International University press release.
This technological innovation would provide an important medical solution to diabetics.
Preserving diabetics’ ability to walk
Researchers use interventional radiology (IR), a technique that has been in place for about 30 years. It allows the revascularization of the smallest blood vessels under the knees, in the ankle and in the foot. Using imaging to orientate, the radiologist inserts a catheter through the femoral artery in the groin to the affected artery in the leg. A balloon is inflated to open the narrowed or blocked blood vessel. This minimally invasive treatment does not require surgery and allows the return of blood flow and the supply of oxygen to the lower limb, and thus promotes the healing process.
To identify among chronic wounds, those that have stopped healing, or those that have initiated the early stages of healing, researchers use real-time 2D imaging to recognize differences in blood flow below the site of the wound. wound.
The emphasis is on preserving the lower limbs (toes, feet and ankles) and the ability to walk, and maintaining the quality of life of patients. The success rate is 80%, which significantly reduces the incidence of amputation and greatly improves the quality of life of patients.
8,000 diabetics are amputated per year
Indeed, the diabetic people may develop a sore on the foot without realizing it, due to the loss of sensation in the lower limb. The injury only becomes noticeable once it is problematic. Foot ulcer is a common complication occurring in 15% of diabetic patients. Supported too late, amputation will then be the last resort. The latest study by the Association France Diabète identified 8,000 amputations per year, of toes or feet. a diabetic operated has a 50% risk of dying within 5 years.
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