Global Preventive Foot Care Delivers Promising Reductions in Amputations
Featured in *Limb Preservation Journal* (Vol 6 No 1, Wounds Canada), this initiative outlines a comprehensive training program—Train the Foot Healthcare Professional (TtFHCP)—implemented across six WHO regions from 2023 to 2025. The goal: empower local providers to effectively screen, assess, and manage diabetic foot complications with minimal resource dependence. Download the full PDF.
Key Highlights:
- Program Reach: Delivered in six WHO regions, TtFHCP enhances the skills of clinicians and allied professionals in foot screening, offloading, callus care, and ulcer recognition. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Improved Outcomes: Early results indicate reductions in ulcer incidence and need for amputation in trained communities, reinforcing the value of proactive foot care. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Resource-Level Strategies: Emphasis on practical interventions—callus removal, offloading, patient education—designed for implementation in settings with limited access to specialized wound services. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Introducing STIMULAN®: In locations where foot infections occurred despite preventive care, localized antibiotic therapy using **Stimulan®** calcium sulfate beads was trialed. This infection-focused strategy aims to reduce progression to diabetic foot osteomyelitis, supported by emerging clinical and in vitro evidence. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
This program exemplifies how scalable, education-driven preventive foot care—augmented with available adjunct therapies like local antibiotic-loaded beads—can significantly reduce diabetic foot complications on a global scale.
Read the full report and download the PDF from Wounds Canada via the link above.
Keywords:
preventive foot care,
diabetic foot complications,
amputation prevention,
Stimulan® beads,
local antibiotic therapy
🔬 Product Spotlight: Stimulan® in Global Wound Care
As part of adjunctive care in settings with recurrent or hard-to-control infections, **Stimulan®** calcium sulfate beads are gaining traction. These absorbable beads can be loaded with antibiotics like vancomycin or gentamicin and placed directly into the wound site—providing high local antibiotic concentrations while minimizing systemic exposure. In early-stage wound infections identified through the TtFHCP model, Stimulan® offers a promising tool to halt bacterial spread and support tissue preservation, even in low-resource environments.
Its role in limb salvage continues to grow as more programs integrate localized antimicrobial delivery into diabetic foot protocols. Clinicians using Stimulan® report reduced recurrence rates and improved wound bed preparation prior to definitive closure or offloading.