My mum has a diabetic foot ulcer and the doctor is only giving her antibiotics without cleaning and dressing up the toe. The toe is a little smelly. Should the toe not be cleaned?

Dr. Prabhakar Laxman JatharEndocrinologist46yrs exp

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Mr. lybrate-user, thanks for the query. First thing is her blood glucose should be in excellent control with fasting < 100 mg, PP 160 to 170 mg & HbA1c% <7. Secondly the debris (dirt or necrotic tissue) should be completely cleaned. Without that the ulcer will not heal. It is essential to see if the ulcer is deep or has it affected tissues around it like muscle and bone. An x-ray may be needed to find out. Most important is CLEAN the ulcer completely. Only antibiotics will not help. Thanks.  

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