Dr Jason Toniolo

Diabetic foot ulcers

Diabetes causes patients to be prone to developing ulcers on their feet.

These ulcers are often not painful but can rapidly deteriorate and result in amputation of toes or sometimes segments of the foot higher up. It is a frightening and devastating condition that can be extremely difficult to manage.

Why does diabetes cause ulcers?

Elevated blood sugars damages everything in the body. It damages the arteries that supply blood to the toes and damages the nerves; they provide a protective sensation and alert you when your boots are too tight and rubbing against your toes or when you walk outside on hot asphalt.

When this protective sensory feedback is lost, unless you look at your feed every few hours, you will not know whether or not you are damaging the skin on your toes or foot.

treatment options

Management requires the involvement of multiple specialists to prevent amputation. Your general practitioner coordinates care in the early stages of the disease. Eventually, diabetic toe ulcers are taken on by a multi-disciplinary clinic when the ulceration begins to recur, involving podiatrists, vascular surgeons, infectious disease specialists, endocrinologists and orthopaedic surgeons.

To prevent ulcers once they have begun occurring, you should endeavour to see a podiatrist at least once every six weeks. They will ensure your feet are not developing calluses (which lead to ulcers) and that your footwear is appropriate

Dr Jason Toniolo

Comprehensive range of conditions

Aortic dissection is a complicated condition that requires a long conversation about its implications and cannot easily be explained through website content delivery.

An aortic dissection is a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, causing blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall causing a life-threatening emergency.