title: Diabetic foot infections in the elderly: primary amputation versus 'foot-sparing surgery'. A case report.
abstract: Renal failure diabetic patients who present with lower extremity gangrene represent one of the most difficult problems encountered in a typical vascular practice. We report the hospital course and management of a 74-year-old male patient with such comorbidities, affected by a non healing ulcer that progressed into a large plantar abscess. Our case unfortunately mirrors a common method of evaluation and therapy of patients with such comorbidities and sets up the stage for a very controversial subject.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery Section, Southern Arizona Veteran Affairs Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Tucson, AZ 85723, USA.
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.forename: Shemuel B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Psalms
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walters
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents