Month: May 2026

Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Offloading, Surgery, and Beyond

Summary: At SAWC Spring 2026, Drs. Paul Kim and Johanna-Marie Richey stressed that successful DFU management requires correcting biomechanical abnormalities rather than focusing solely on wound closure. The session covered comprehensive assessment (perfusion, infection, biomechanics), non-operative offloading strategies, and selective surgical interventions (e.g., flexor tenotomy, metatarsal osteotomy, Achilles lengthening) to reduce recurrence and preserve function.

Key Highlights:

Biomechanical evaluation and weight-bearing imaging are essential
Prioritize adequate offloading before considering surgery
Surgery should target specific mechanical deformities
Goal is durable healing with a functional, stable residual foot

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Keywords: DFU offloading, diabetic foot surgery, biomechanical DFU

Technology-Enhanced Diabetic Foot Ulcer Management

Summary: In this interview, Dr. Jonathan Johnson, MD, MBA, CWSP, highlights emerging imaging technologies that go beyond visual assessment for diabetic foot ulcers. Tools such as fluorescence imaging (for bioburden), thermal imaging (for perfusion/infection), and digital measurement enable earlier detection of complications, better documentation, real-time decision-making for debridement and offloading, and more standardized care in diverse settings.

Key Highlights:

Fluorescence and thermal imaging detect infection/ischemia earlier than visual exam
Digital tools improve documentation, measurement accuracy, and continuity
Supports better decisions on debridement, offloading, and vascular referral
Scalable across outpatient, home, and hospital environments

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Keywords: DFU imaging, fluorescence wound imaging, technology DFU

Mobile Wound Care FAQs: A Primer for Clinicians

Summary: This clinician-focused guide addresses common questions about mobile wound care, a model where specialists deliver assessment and treatment directly to patients in homes, long-term care, or assisted living settings. It improves access, enables earlier intervention, reduces complications, and supports better outcomes for mobility-limited and medically complex patients while complementing rather than replacing clinic-based care.

Key Highlights:

Delivers care at the patient’s location instead of requiring travel
Particularly beneficial for older adults and those with limited mobility
Enhances early intervention, care coordination, and continuity
Complements traditional wound clinics rather than replacing them

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Keywords: mobile wound care, home based wound care, DFU access

C-Reactive Protein-to-Albumin Ratio Improves Prediction of 6-Month Major Adverse Limb Events in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Summary: This retrospective study evaluated the prognostic utility of the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). CAR, a simple and inexpensive inflammatory biomarker calculated from routine labs, emerged as a strong independent predictor of 6-month major adverse limb events (MALE), including major amputation and revascularization. Incorporating CAR into existing risk models significantly improved discrimination and net reclassification. The authors propose CAR as a practical tool for early identification of high-risk DFU patients who may benefit from more aggressive multidisciplinary intervention.

Key Highlights:

CAR independently predicts 6-month MALE in DFU patients
Improves predictive performance of traditional risk models
Low-cost biomarker readily available from standard bloodwork
Potential for better risk stratification and timely limb-preservation strategies

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Keywords: CRP albumin ratio DFU, major adverse limb events, DFU prognosis