Wounds Care and Limb Preservation

What You Need To Know

Understanding chronic wounds and how coordinated care can help preserve your limbs.

Chronic Wounds and Limb Preservation

Left untreated, chronic conditions such as diabetes and peripheral arterial disease increase your risk of infection and, ultimately, amputation. Our providers specialize in limb preservation using a multi-disciplinary approach. If you regularly experience ulcers or slow-healing wounds, don’t hesitate to seek professional help for amputation prevention.

Diabetes doesn’t just impact your body’s ability to produce insulin. Over time, this chronic condition also affects your circulation and immune system, negatively impacting your body’s ability to heal. Fortunately, conservative, integrated methods of care can prevent up to 85% of diabetes-related amputations.

Our podiatrists have training in the diagnosis and management of chronic, non-healing wounds like diabetic, pressure, venous, and arterial or ischemic ulcerations. Ulcers can cause pain, itching, and discomfort and can easily become infected, which may lead to gangrene and increases your risk of limb loss.

If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system, any slow-healing wound is cause for concern, especially if your ulcer is red, swollen, surrounded by black or dead skin, or painful. Schedule a consultation so our providers can review your history and begin the right treatment quickly.

Treatment Options and Prevention

When treating your ulcer, we first confirm and establish good blood flow, which brings oxygen and healing enzymes to regrow tissue and skin. Our podiatrists debride the wound to remove damaged tissue so healthy tissue can grow, and topical medications help prevent infection. Depending on severity, we may also discuss skin grafting.

Wound VAC, or negative pressure wound therapy, applies a specialized dressing and vacuum pump to the wound site. This controlled suction removes excess fluid and infection, reduces swelling, encourages new tissue formation, and increases blood circulation. It is particularly effective for diabetic foot ulcers, surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, traumatic wounds, and post-amputation wounds.

Utilizing the UCSF Center for Limb Preservation, our providers coordinate care between vascular surgeons, podiatrists, reconstructive microsurgeons, and other specialists to assist people at risk of leg and foot amputation. We take a comprehensive, long-term approach to protect the health of your lower limbs.

Proactive foot care also helps prevent severe complications. Check your feet daily, wash and dry them, wear properly fitted shoes, trim toenails straight across, manage blood sugar, and stop smoking to improve circulation. Contact our team to build a wound care plan tailored to your needs.