General & Laparoscopic Surgery · Jaipur Hospital
Diabetic Foot Care in Jaipur
A wound that will not heal. We assess, offload, treat infection and check blood flow.
- Serving Jaipur since 1991 (35 years)
- NABH accredited
- 24×7 emergency & ICU
- Cashless: RGHS, MAA Yojana, CGHS + 22 insurers
- Procedure time
- 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the treatment
- Anaesthesia
- Local, spinal or general anaesthesia
- Recovery
- Weeks to months for an ulcer to heal
- Price
- ₹5,000 to ₹2,00,000, depending on the treatmenttypical range in India; ask us for an estimate
A wound that stays open
My foot ulcer will not heal and I am worried about losing my limb
Diabetes damages nerves and blood vessels. You may not feel a small cut. It becomes an ulcer. Infection and poor blood flow stop it from closing.
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Numbness hides injury
Loss of sensation means trauma goes unnoticed until the wound is deep.
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Poor blood flow
Narrowed vessels reduce oxygen and nutrients needed for healing.
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Infection spreads fast
Bacteria and biofilm make the wound chronic and harder to treat.
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Risk of amputation
Diabetic foot ulcers precede most lower-limb amputations in people with diabetes.
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High cost and lost work
Repeated dressings, hospital visits and time off work create a heavy financial burden.
The wound gets stuck in long-term inflammation and cannot move to the healing phase.
Why Jaipur Hospital
You are tired of daily dressings, the smell, the fear of amputation and the money draining from your household.
Your care plan
Your first steps with us
- 1 Call or visit OPD for a surgeon consultation
- 2 Get vascular and infection assessment with in-house tests
- 3 Start offloading, debridement and infection control plan
- 4 Attend regular follow-ups until the wound closes
How the treatment works
We follow standard steps: clean the wound, take pressure off it, control infection and check blood flow. Your surgeon chooses the right mix for you.
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Debridement
Removing dead and infected tissue so the wound can heal.
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Offloading
Special footwear or casts that take pressure off the ulcer.
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Infection control
Antibiotics and drainage of pus based on wound culture.
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Vascular assessment
Doppler tests to check blood flow, with treatment if it is poor.
Why patients trust us
- 1991 Serving Jaipur for 35 years
- NABH Accredited hospital
- 3 General & Laparoscopic Surgery consultants
- 24×7 Emergency, ICU and ambulance
- 25 Cashless schemes and insurers
What research shows
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Multidisciplinary care lowers major amputation rate to 3.2% from 4.4%
Patients managed by a foot team had fewer major amputations than those receiving usual care.
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About 30% to 40% of ulcers heal by 12 weeks
In studies, roughly one third of diabetic foot ulcers were closed at 12 weeks with standard care.
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Recurrence rate near 40% at one year
After healing, about four in ten patients develop a new ulcer within a year.
If it is left untreated
Without treatment the ulcer can deepen, infect bone, lead to gangrene and amputation. Mortality at five years is about 50% after a diabetic foot ulcer.
Life after treatment
Most people see the wound shrink, can walk again and return to daily routines with regular foot care.
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Wound closes
The ulcer shrinks and eventually heals with consistent offloading and dressings.
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Walk without fear
You regain confidence to move around the house and go to work.
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Protect your feet
You learn daily checks and proper footwear to stop new ulcers forming.
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Lower costs over time
Fewer emergency visits and dressings mean less money spent on wound care.
Frequently asked questions
Questions patients ask about diabetic foot care
Which problems are assessed under wound and diabetic foot care?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, our surgical team assesses every factor that stops a diabetic foot wound from healing. This includes checking for loss of feeling from nerve damage, poor blood flow from narrowed arteries, infection in the skin or bone, and abnormal pressure points caused by foot deformity. Each problem is graded so the right treatment can be chosen.
In detail
The assessment follows standard steps used in diabetic foot clinics. First, the surgeon tests sensation with a monofilament or tuning fork to see if neuropathy is present.
Next, pulses are felt and a Doppler test or ankle-brachial index measures blood supply; an index below 0.7 suggests significant artery disease. The wound itself is examined for depth, dead tissue, drainage, and signs of spreading infection such as redness or warmth.
If bone infection is suspected, X-ray or MRI is ordered. Foot shape and shoe wear patterns are also reviewed to find areas of high pressure that cause ulcers to form or return. Evidence shows that a structured, multidisciplinary evaluation lowers the chance of major amputation.
A common belief
Many people think only the wound surface is treated.
What actually happens
In reality, if the underlying poor circulation or high pressure is not fixed, the ulcer will not heal no matter what dressing is used.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
You can expect the first assessment to take 30 to 60 minutes in the OPD. Bring your current medicines, recent blood sugar reports, and the footwear you use daily.
After the examination, the surgeon will explain the findings and outline a care plan that may include dressing changes, offloading devices, antibiotics, or further vascular tests.
How will the doctor decide which tests I need?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, the surgeon chooses tests based on what the clinical examination shows. If pulses are weak or the ankle-brachial index is low, a Doppler ultrasound or angiogram is ordered to map the arteries. If the wound is deep or bone infection is suspected, X-ray is done first and MRI if more detail is needed. Blood tests for sugar control, kidney function, and infection markers are routine.
In detail
Guidelines recommend a stepwise approach. A simple bedside Doppler gives the ankle-brachial index; a value below 0.7 signals significant peripheral artery disease, and below 0.4 indicates severe disease needing urgent vascular imaging.
Plain radiographs are often enough to detect gas, foreign bodies, or gross bone destruction, but MRI is far more sensitive and specific for early osteomyelitis. Wound swabs after debridement guide targeted antibiotic therapy.
HbA1c and fasting glucose show how well diabetes is controlled, which directly affects healing. The surgeon also reviews your footwear and may order pressure mapping to design offloading devices. Each test is selected to answer a specific question that changes the treatment plan.
A common belief
Patients sometimes expect every scan at once.
What actually happens
Unnecessary tests add cost and delay. The surgeon orders only what will change the next step — for example, an angiogram only if revascularisation is a real option.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
Most basic tests — blood work, Doppler, X-ray — can be done in-house on the same day at Jaipur Hospital. MRI or angiogram may be scheduled within 24 to 48 hours. The surgeon will explain why each test is needed and how the result will change your care.
How soon should I expect improvement after the chosen treatment?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, the time to see improvement varies widely because diabetic foot ulcers heal over weeks to months, not days. After debridement and proper offloading, a clean wound typically shows healthy granulation tissue in two to four weeks. Significant size reduction often takes four to six weeks. Complete closure can take three to six months or longer, depending on ulcer size, depth, blood flow, infection control, and sugar levels.
In detail
Studies report that about 30 to 40 percent of diabetic foot ulcers heal by 12 weeks with standard multidisciplinary care. In a trial of an advanced dermal template, median time to closure was 43 days in the treatment group versus 78 days in controls.
Factors that slow healing include ongoing infection, severe peripheral artery disease, poor glycaemic control, large ulcer area, and inability to consistently offload.
The surgeon reviews progress at each dressing change — usually weekly — and adjusts offloading, dressings, or antibiotics if the wound is not shrinking by roughly 10 to 15 percent per week.
If no healing signs appear after four to six weeks of optimal care, adjuvant therapies or surgical reconstruction are reconsidered.
A common belief
Patients often expect visible healing in days.
What actually happens
The reality is that diabetic tissue repair is slow; stopping offloading or missing dressings because you don't see quick change is the most common reason healing stalls.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
You will have a clear review schedule: weekly dressing checks for the first month, then every two weeks once the wound is clean and shrinking. Bring your offloading device to every visit. The surgeon will tell you at each visit whether the healing pace is on track.
How does the term "diabetic foot ulcer" relate to wound and diabetic foot care?
In short
A diabetic foot ulcer is a chronic, non-healing wound on the foot that develops in people with long-standing diabetes. Jaipur Hospital treats it as a serious complication caused by neuropathy, poor blood supply, and high plantar pressures. It is the central focus of diabetic foot care because it can lead to infection, hospitalisation, and amputation if not managed early.
In detail
Evidence defines a diabetic foot ulcer as destruction, infection, and loss of foot tissues associated with neuropathy and/or peripheral artery disease. The normal healing stages — inflammation, proliferation, remodelling — are disrupted by high blood sugar, oxidative stress, and abnormal enzyme activity.
This creates a wound microenvironment that stalls in chronic inflammation. Standard care therefore combines surgical debridement, infection control, vascular assessment, offloading, advanced dressings, and strict glycaemic control. Multidisciplinary teams improve outcomes and lower major amputation rates.
A common belief
Some think it is just a sore that will heal with time.
What actually happens
But the diabetic wound environment is biologically stalled — high sugar, inflammation, and enzyme imbalance prevent normal healing. That is why it needs a structured, multidisciplinary approach.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
If you have a foot wound that has not healed in four weeks, seek evaluation at Jaipur Hospital. Your surgeon will grade the ulcer, check blood flow and sensation, and start a coordinated care plan. Regular follow-up and offloading are essential.
Why is my diabetic foot ulcer not healing?
In short
Your diabetic foot ulcer is not healing because diabetes disrupts every stage of wound repair. High blood sugar damages nerves and blood vessels, reduces oxygen supply, and keeps the wound stuck in a chronic inflammatory state. Jaipur Hospital evaluates each factor — infection, blood flow, pressure, and glucose control — to restart healing.
In detail
Normal healing moves through haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling. In diabetes, hyperglycaemia causes glycation of haemoglobin, narrows vessels, and alters red cells, leading to tissue hypoxia. Neuropathy removes protective sensation, so trauma goes unnoticed. Excess reactive oxygen species and unregulated MMP-9 destroy the extracellular matrix.
Macrophages fail to switch to a repair phenotype, so angiogenesis stalls. Biofilm-forming bacteria resist antibiotics. Studies show infected ulcers take longer to heal. Offloading, debridement, vascular correction, and glycaemic targets of 7–8% HbA1c are all needed together.
A common belief
Many patients think a non-healing wound just needs a better ointment.
What actually happens
But the wound is stuck because of systemic issues: blood sugar, blood flow, and pressure. All must be corrected together.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
Healing requires addressing all barriers at once. Your surgeon will check pulses, order Doppler studies, culture the wound, remove dead tissue, prescribe offloading, and adjust diabetes medicines. Dressings are chosen for moisture balance and exudate control. Follow-up is weekly or fortnightly.
How can I decide whether to seek advice about diabetic foot ulcer management?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, you should seek advice if you have diabetes and notice any break in the skin on your foot, even a small cut, blister, or callus that does not heal within a few days. Loss of sensation, foot deformity, previous ulcer, or known poor circulation are reasons to consult early. A multidisciplinary foot team can assess risk and start preventive care before a wound becomes chronic.
In detail
Evidence shows that diabetic foot ulcers develop from neuropathy, ischaemia, and minor trauma. Up to 50% of peripheral neuropathy may be asymptomatic, so you may not feel an injury. The lifetime risk of foot ulcer in diabetes is 19% to 34%.
Early multidisciplinary care lowers major amputation rates. Guidelines recommend that anyone with a new diabetic foot ulcer receive care from a team of physicians, surgeons, and pedorthotists. Vascular assessment with Doppler, infection screening, and offloading are started at the first visit.
Blood sugar control with HbA1c targets of 7.0% to 8.0% supports healing. Regular foot examinations and proper footwear reduce recurrence.
A common belief
Many people wait until the wound is large or infected.
What actually happens
But early care by a foot team prevents complications. Studies show multidisciplinary care cuts amputation rates by more than half. A small wound today can become a big problem tomorrow if ignored.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
Do not wait for the wound to worsen. Visit the OPD at Jaipur Hospital for a diabetic foot screening. The team will check sensation, pulses, foot structure, and skin condition. If an ulcer is found, a care plan begins the same day. Follow-up intervals depend on risk level.
How will the surgeon decide whether an operation is necessary?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, the surgeon decides on surgery after evaluating the ulcer depth, infection extent, vascular status, bone involvement, and response to non-surgical care. Surgery is considered for deep infection with abscess or osteomyelitis, significant ischaemia with a reconstructible lesion, deformity causing recurrent pressure, or a clean wound that fails to close with standard therapy. Each factor is weighed against your overall health and surgical risk.
In detail
Evidence shows that most diabetic foot infections require some surgical intervention, from debridement to resection or amputation. Urgent debridement is needed for deep or extensive infection with necrotic tissue or compartment syndrome.
Vascular surgery is indicated for intractable ulcers, rest pain, or gangrene with a reconstructible artery. Reconstructive procedures — tendon lengthening, osteotomy, arthrodesis — are considered when non-removable offloading fails to heal a plantar ulcer or when deformity prevents transition to therapeutic footwear.
The surgeon reviews imaging (X-ray, MRI, angiography) and wound culture before planning. Multidisciplinary discussion ensures vascular, infectious, and mechanical issues are addressed together.
A common belief
Patients sometimes think surgery is a last resort only for amputation.
What actually happens
In fact, early debridement, tendon release, or vascular bypass can save the foot and avoid major amputation. Waiting too long often leads to more extensive surgery.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
You will have a detailed surgical consultation where the surgeon explains the findings, options, risks, and expected recovery. Pre-operative tests include blood work, imaging, and fitness assessment. Hospital stay ranges from day care to two weeks depending on the procedure.
Which symptoms should prompt me to see a specialist?
In short
See a specialist at Jaipur Hospital if you notice a foot wound that does not heal in two weeks, redness spreading around a wound, swelling, warmth, foul smell, or black tissue. Numbness, tingling, or loss of feeling in your feet also need review. Early review prevents worse outcomes.
In detail
Loss of sensation means injuries go unnoticed. Autonomic nerve damage causes dry, cracked skin. Motor nerve damage leads to foot deformity and high pressure points. Infection signs include pus, increasing pain, fever, or red streaks.
Poor blood flow shows as cold feet, colour change, or pain at rest. These signs mean the wound cannot heal on its own.
A common belief
Patients often ignore small wounds because they do not hurt.
What actually happens
But lack of pain is a danger sign in diabetes. Delay lets infection reach bone.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
Do not wait for the wound to grow. Visit the OPD for a vascular and nerve check. The surgeon will grade the infection and plan debridement or offloading. Dressings are changed every few days.
How will the results change my care plan?
In short
At Jaipur Hospital, every test result directly shapes the next step in your treatment. If imaging shows good blood flow, the focus stays on wound care and offloading. If angiography reveals a blockage that can be fixed, vascular reconstruction or angioplasty is discussed. If MRI confirms osteomyelitis, the plan shifts to surgical bone debridement and a longer course of targeted antibiotics. Poor sugar control leads to medication adjustment before elective surgery.
In detail
Evidence shows that matching treatment to the specific problem improves healing and lowers amputation rates. For example, revascularisation is recommended when ankle pressure is below 50 mmHg or the ankle-brachial index is under 0.4, especially if tissue loss or infection is present.
If the wound is clean but not shrinking after four to six weeks of optimal care, adjuvant therapies such as specialised dressings, negative pressure wound therapy, or growth factors may be added. Culture results narrow antibiotics from broad-spectrum to targeted agents, reducing resistance risk.
The multidisciplinary team — surgeon, physician, vascular specialist, and pedorthotist — reviews all results together so that offloading, infection control, and vascular repair are coordinated.
A common belief
A common mistake is treating every ulcer the same way.
What actually happens
Without test-guided decisions, you might get dressings when you really need a bypass, or antibiotics when the real problem is pressure.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
You will receive a clear explanation of each result and how it changes your plan before any new treatment starts. Most adjustments — dressing type, antibiotic change, offloading device — begin within days. Vascular procedures or bone surgery are scheduled once you are medically fit.
What should I do if my diabetic foot ulcer symptoms persist or worsen?
In short
If your diabetic foot ulcer symptoms persist or worsen, contact Jaipur Hospital promptly for a review. Increased pain, spreading redness, swelling, foul odour, fever, or a wound that grows larger are signs that the treatment plan needs adjustment. Early action helps prevent serious complications such as deep infection or amputation.
In detail
Diabetic foot ulcers often stall in a chronic inflammatory phase and can deteriorate quickly because of neuropathy, poor blood flow, and resistant bacteria. Evidence shows that infection increases healing time and amputation risk, while ischaemia and uncontrolled blood sugar further delay closure.
Our surgical team reassesses the wound, checks for deep infection or osteomyelitis, reviews vascular status, and adjusts debridement, antibiotics, offloading, or dressings as needed. Multidisciplinary care is associated with lower major amputation rates.
A common belief
Many patients wait for their next appointment, but diabetic ulcers can deteriorate in days because of poor blood flow and resistant bacteria.
What actually happens
Delaying care raises the risk of deep infection and amputation.
Your next step at Jaipur Hospital
Do not wait for your next scheduled visit if you notice warning signs. Call Jaipur Hospital at 0141-2551500 or 0141-2554139 for an urgent OPD appointment. Bring your current dressings, medication list, and recent blood sugar records. Your surgeon will examine the wound, order any needed tests, and update the care plan the same day.
FAQ library
Questions and answers about diabetic foot care
When you contact us
Get your foot assessed this week
Contact Jaipur Hospital for a surgeon consultation, in-house tests, a clear plan and a cost estimate before you decide.
- A consultation with a general and laparoscopic surgeon in the OPD
- Your scans and reports reviewed, with tests done in-house if you need them (laboratory, X-ray and imaging)
- Your options explained in plain words, including whether you need surgery at all
- A cost estimate before you decide
- Help with cashless treatment under RGHS, MAA Yojana, CGHS and empanelled insurers and TPAs
- Follow-up visits after your treatment
Overview
Diabetic Foot Care: what to know
What a diabetic foot ulcer is and how it happens
- Nerve damage
- High sugar injures small nerves, you lose feeling
- Poor blood flow
- Diabetes narrows arteries, less blood reaches the foot
- Healing gets stuck
- Normal healing steps stop, wound stays inflamed
A diabetic foot ulcer is an open wound on the foot that does not heal normally. It happens when diabetes damages the nerves and blood vessels in your feet over many years. High blood sugar over time injures the small nerves, so you lose feeling in your feet.
You may not notice a small cut, a blister from tight shoes, or a stone inside your shoe. At the same time, diabetes narrows the arteries, so less blood reaches the foot. Without good blood flow, the skin and tissues cannot repair themselves.
The normal healing steps — stopping bleeding, fighting germs, building new tissue, and strengthening the wound — get stuck. The wound stays in a long inflammatory phase and becomes a chronic ulcer.
Symptoms and warning signs that need urgent care the same day
- Rapid spreading redness or swelling
- Pus or foul-smelling discharge
- High fever
- Sudden severe pain
- Black or dead-looking tissue
- Feeling dizzy or confused
Because the nerves are damaged, you may not feel pain even when the ulcer is deep. Look at your feet every day.
Common signs are:
- A break in the skin that does not heal
- Drainage on your socks
- A bad smell
- Redness spreading around the wound
- Swelling
- The skin turning black
You may also notice warmth around the area or fever and chills if the infection has spread. Numbness, tingling, or a change in the shape of your foot can also be warning signs.
If you see any of these, go to the hospital the same day: rapid spreading of redness or swelling, pus or foul-smelling discharge, high fever, sudden severe pain (if you still have feeling), black or dead-looking tissue, or if you feel dizzy or confused. These can mean a severe infection or poor blood flow that needs immediate treatment.
Causes and who is at higher risk
- Long diabetes duration
- Having diabetes for many years raises risk
- Smoking and high blood pressure
- Both damage blood vessels further
- Past ulcer or amputation
- History of foot problems increases chance of new ulcer
- Foot deformities
- Claw toes or Charcot foot create pressure points
The main causes are nerve damage (neuropathy), poor blood flow (peripheral artery disease), and repeated pressure or minor injury on the foot. High blood sugar over many years drives both nerve and vessel damage.
Other factors that make an ulcer more likely include:
- Having diabetes for a long time
- Older age
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Kidney disease
- Past foot ulcers or amputation
- Foot deformities like claw toes or Charcot foot
- Walking barefoot or wearing ill-fitting shoes
- Not checking your feet daily
People with these risk factors should be extra careful and have their feet checked at every clinic visit.
How a diabetic foot ulcer is diagnosed: examination and tests
- below 0.7 ABI below 0.7 suggests artery disease
- below 0.4 ABI below 0.4 means severe disease
Your doctor will first ask about your diabetes history and examine your foot closely. They check for loss of sensation using a thin filament or tuning fork, feel the pulses in your feet, and look for deformities, calluses, and signs of infection. The ulcer is measured, graded, and classified by depth and severity.
Blood tests are done to check:
- Sugar control (HbA1c)
- Kidney function
- Markers of infection or inflammation
A swab or, better, a tissue sample from the cleaned wound is sent for culture to identify the bacteria and choose the right antibiotic. Imaging is often needed. X-rays show bone changes or gas in the tissues. MRI is more sensitive for detecting bone infection (osteomyelitis) and deep abscesses.
To check blood flow, the ankle-brachial index (ABI) is measured; a value below 0.7 suggests artery disease, and below 0.4 means severe disease. If blood flow is poor, further vascular imaging may be advised.
Treatment options without surgery, and when surgery is advised
- Control blood sugar First part of treatment
- Clean the wound (debridement) Removes dead tissue
- Take pressure off the ulcer (offloading) Special footwear or casts
- Treat infection if present Antibiotics when needed
The core non-surgical treatment has four parts that are done together: controlling blood sugar, cleaning the wound (debridement), taking pressure off the ulcer (offloading), and treating infection if present. Debridement removes dead and infected tissue so healthy tissue can grow. It is usually done in the clinic or operating theatre under local or spinal anaesthesia.
Offloading uses special footwear, total contact casts, removable walkers, shoe inserts, or braces to keep weight off the ulcer. Dressings are chosen to keep the wound moist but not wet, absorb excess fluid, and protect from germs.
Many types exist — films, foams, hydrocolloids, hydrogels, alginates, hydrofibres, and silver-containing dressings — and your doctor picks the one that matches your wound stage. Antibiotics are given only when infection is proven; mild infections may need oral tablets, while moderate or severe infections need intravenous antibiotics in hospital.
Blood flow is assessed with Doppler tests; if a significant blockage is found, a vascular surgeon may advise a procedure to restore flow.
Surgery is advised when: the ulcer does not shrink after 4 to 6 weeks of good non-surgical care, there is deep infection or bone infection needing bone removal, dead tissue must be cleared urgently, a foot deformity keeps creating pressure points, or blood flow cannot be improved without a vascular operation.
Your surgical team will explain the options — such as tendon lengthening, bone resection, joint fusion, skin grafting, or vascular bypass — and which suits your condition.
Preparing for diabetic foot surgery at Jaipur Hospital
Do
- Bring list of all medicines
- Carry recent Doppler or MRI reports
- Fast for six to eight hours
- Wear loose clothing
- Plan for an attendant to stay
Before any procedure, your surgical team will review your blood sugar records and current medicines. Bring a list of every tablet, insulin dose, and any blood thinners you take. Your doctor may ask you to adjust or pause certain medicines a few days before surgery.
Routine blood tests, an ECG, and a chest X-ray are usually done in our in-house laboratory and radiology department. If you have a recent Doppler study or MRI of the foot, carry those reports. You will be asked to fast for six to eight hours before the operation.
Wear loose clothing and bring a pair of comfortable, closed shoes for the other foot. An attendant should plan to stay with you if an overnight admission is expected.
How diabetic foot surgery is done at Jaipur Hospital
- Debridement Removes dead and infected tissue
- Offloading Special footwear, casts, braces to take pressure off
- Infection control Antibiotics guided by cultures and drainage of pus
- Vascular reconstruction Synthetic grafts or own vessels to restore circulation
- Reconstructive foot surgery Tendon lengthening, osteotomy, arthrodesis or arthroplasty
- Skin grafting Covers a clean, granulating wound
The operation depends on the wound and the blood supply. Your surgeon will explain which of the following steps are needed for you. Debridement removes dead and infected tissue so the wound can heal. Offloading uses special footwear, casts, braces, shoe inserts or compression wraps to take pressure off the ulcer.
Infection control includes antibiotics guided by wound cultures and drainage of any pus. Vascular assessment with Doppler tests checks blood flow; if flow is poor, vascular reconstruction with synthetic grafts or your own vessels may be done to restore circulation.
In some cases, reconstructive foot and ankle surgery such as tendon lengthening, osteotomy, arthrodesis or arthroplasty is performed to correct deformities that cause high pressure. Skin grafting may be used to cover a clean, granulating wound. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be added to increase tissue oxygen levels and stimulate healing. The procedure takes 20 minutes to two hours.
Anaesthesia may be local, spinal or general, chosen by the anaesthetist based on your health and the extent of surgery. Modular operation theatres and a 24×7 critical care unit support the procedure.
Risks and possible complications of diabetic foot surgery
Every operation carries risks. Wound infection occurs in about half of diabetic foot ulcers and can delay healing. Osteomyelitis, or bone infection, is found in many patients with a foot wound and may need further surgery or long-term antibiotics. In studies, about 20% of moderate to severe infections lead to lower extremity amputation.
Amputation is a late-stage complication strongly linked to poor diabetes control. Cardiovascular disease accounts for 46.6% of deaths in patients with diabetic foot ulcer, and infection accounts for 24.8%. Drug-resistant microorganisms can make antibiotics less effective. The wound may stay in a long-term inflammatory phase, leading to a chronic non-healing ulcer. Repeated debridement can cause pain and increase cost. Your surgical team will discuss the risks that apply to your situation.
Recovery and aftercare after diabetic foot surgery
After the procedure, the wound is dressed to keep it moist but not wet, control exudate and protect from infection. You will be taught how to care for the dressing at home or asked to return to the OPD for regular changes.
Offloading devices such as a total contact cast, removable walker, special shoes or shoe inserts must be used exactly as advised; pressure relief is a first-line therapy for healing. Blood sugar control remains essential throughout recovery; a glycated haemoglobin target of 7.0% to 8.0% during treatment can promote ulcer healing without increasing mortality.
Antibiotics are given only if infection is present, guided by culture results. Follow-up visits are scheduled weekly or more often in the first weeks, then as the wound improves. Healing takes weeks to months; the median time to complete closure in one study was 43 days with an advanced dressing and 78 days with standard care.
Call the hospital or visit the 24×7 emergency department if you notice increasing redness, swelling, warmth, foul smell, fever, sudden pain, or if the offloading device feels tight or causes a new sore. Physiotherapy may be advised to maintain joint mobility. An attendant should help with daily activities and wound care at home.
Results of diabetic foot surgery: healing and recurrence
In studies, multidisciplinary care is associated with lower major amputation rates compared with usual care (3.2% vs 4.4%). About 30% to 40% of diabetic foot ulcers heal by 12 weeks with standard treatment. Advanced dressings and adjuvant therapies such as negative pressure wound therapy, growth factors, bio-engineered skin or hyperbaric oxygen can improve healing rates in some patients.
In one trial, complete wound closure at 16 weeks was 51% with a dermal regeneration template versus 32% with control. The recurrence rate after healing is about 40% at one year and 65% at three to five years. Lifetime risk of a foot ulcer in diabetes is 19% to 34%.
Up to 50% of patients with diabetes and foot ulcers have coexisting peripheral artery disease, which affects outcomes. Five-year mortality after a diabetic foot ulcer is approximately 30% to 50%. Good blood sugar control, consistent offloading, proper footwear and regular foot checks reduce the chance of recurrence. Your surgeon will discuss what results are realistic for your wound grade and overall health.
Cost and insurance for diabetic foot care at Jaipur Hospital
The typical price range for diabetic foot ulcer treatment in India is ₹5,000 to ₹2,00,000, depending on the treatment needed. Cost varies with the type of procedure (debridement, grafting, vascular surgery, hyperbaric oxygen), the number of sittings, the dressings used, length of hospital stay (day care to two weeks), and whether implants or advanced wound products are required.
Diagnostic tests such as X-ray, MRI or Doppler add to the total. Medications, ulcer dressing and periodic debridement account for the largest share of direct medical costs. Transportation and loss of income are the main indirect costs.
Jaipur Hospital is empaneled under:
- RGHS
- MAA Yojana
- CGHS
- A panel of private insurers and TPAs
Cashless facility is available for eligible schemes. Ask the admissions team for an estimate based on your plan. The in-house pharmacy and diagnostic laboratory keep all services on one campus.