Im a diabetic. Am I at more risk for surgical complications?
That depends on your blood flow and your sugar control. High levels of blood sugar can stupefy your bodys natural defenses, making them sluggish and less effective at healing wounds. If your blood flow is inadequate, you may not even be a candidate for surgery, or you should understand that your risk for complication and infection is high. If your doctor has recommended surgery, it is likely because doing nothing also puts you at risk. For a healthy diabeticone with good blood flow and healthy nerves, you are not at a significantly higher risk for complications. For this reason, your doctor may recommend addressing a foot deformity before it develops pain or other complications such as ulcers. Surgical prophylaxis of foot deformities is recommended for diabetics before their circulation or nerves worsen. This philosophical shift is important to makea diabetic should look to the future and anticipate consequences of untreated foot deformities. Any structural deformity that causes rednes
