The Podiatry Department at Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, is committed to addressing various conditions affecting leg, heel and foot. At Apollo, we recognize the significance of maintaining healthy feet and ankles for an energetic and satisfying lifestyle. Our team comprises board-certified Podiatric surgeons who are committed to deliver complete care for foot and ankle conditions in both children and adults.
In cases where your condition is linked to a systemic issue like diabetes, we collaborate with specialists such as endocrinologists to provide comprehensive care. At Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, we utilise cutting-edge technologies for managing diabetic foot conditions, services which are offered only by few institutions in India. We are pleased to employ procedures such as revascularisation that allow individuals to receive treatment for diabetic foot without the necessity of limb amputation.
Our most experienced podiatric surgeons tackle a wide spectrum of foot and ankle problems, encompassing injuries, deformities, infections, and chronic conditions.
At Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, our Podiatric Surgeons collaborate with Vascular Surgeons, Interventional Radiologists, Plastic Surgeons, Endocrinologists, and Physiotherapists to perform a wide range of procedures for the best patient outcomes.
Diabetic foot is a common complication of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, occurring when elevated blood sugar levels impact the nerves and blood vessels in the feet. If not treated, it can escalate to the point of requiring leg amputation, making it a significant contributor to global leg amputations. Diabetic foot can be attributed to various factors, including neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, and inadequate foot care among diabetic patients.
Diabetes can also disrupt blood flow in the legs and feet, increasing the risk of developing peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD, characterised by narrowed or blocked arteries, hinders blood flow and complicates the healing of foot ulcers or infections associated with diabetes.
Recognizing individuals with a high risk of developing diabetic foot ulcers is essential for proactive care. The following factors in patients with diabetes increase the risk:
Infections: Diabetic foot ulcers are prone to infections, evident through symptoms like swelling, pus discharge, fever, and chills. If the infection reaches the bone, amputation risks increase, and it may also result in a painful abscess.
Sepsis: Severe infections can introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, triggering a robust immune response that harms tissues and organs, causing sepsis. This life-threatening condition manifests with symptoms like confusion, slurred speech, shortness of breath, and diarrhoea.
Charcot Foot: Prolonged severe infections can lead to Charcot foot, affecting bones, joints, and soft tissues. This condition may cause foot deformities, ankle twisting, and toe curling.
Osteomyelitis: Deep infection in the diabetic foot bone results in diabetic foot osteomyelitis. Hindfoot involvement increases the risk of amputation above the ankle.
Foot Amputation: If diabetic foot infection persists despite treatment, there is a significant risk of spreading to other body parts, leading to life-threatening complications. Foot amputation may be recommended by doctors to prevent this.
Podiatric surgery which is considered as a specialised service for Diabetic Foot management has gained global recognition, especially in a nation like India where there are millions of diabetic patients. As one of the country’s rare facilities, the Department of Podiatrics in collaboration with the advanced diabetic foot clinic at Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, offers a uniquely integrated and highly effective approach to limb preservation.
Patients benefit from the expertise of our board-certified Podiatric surgeons collaborating with Vascular specialists and Endocrinologists specialising in limb salvage. Pioneering the future of amputation prevention, this team-based integrated approach has yielded outstanding patient outcomes, resulting in a remarkable reduction of limb loss rates by over 80%.
For many diabetic patients, neuropathy leads to biomechanical changes resulting in foot ulcerations. Our Podiatric Surgeons clinically and biomechanically assess the causes of these ulcers. We offer nonsurgical alternatives such as customised or therapeutic footwear modifications. In resistant cases, surgical options like forefoot reconstructions, Pan Met Head Excision, or Equinus Correction procedures are available to promote ulcer healing.
Charcot foot, a major diabetes complication, causes severe deformities in the foot’s architecture with gross bony changes. At Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, our experienced podiatric surgeons use specialised implants in innovative corrective procedures to restore the foot’s original shape. Following surgery, patients are recommended to wear special shoes to support daily activities.
For diabetic patients with at-risk limbs, our Podiatric Surgery department focuses on saving limbs that might otherwise need amputation. We employ a combination of revascularization and reconstruction techniques for saving limbs of diabetic foot patients.
In cases where diabetic patients have at-risk limbs with atherosclerosis requiring optimal blood flow for wound healing, our Vascular Surgeon and Endovascular Specialist possesses extensive experience in revascularization through open bypass or endovascular procedures. Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, boast a high success rate in saving limbs with impaired circulation.
In severe cases requiring amputation to prevent infection spread, our podiatric surgeons prioritise preserving as much of the limb and function as possible. With advancements in limb-sparing surgical techniques, partial amputation, and prosthetic technologies, many patients can regain significant mobility.
The team of surgical wound care specialists at Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, excels in various advanced techniques for wound closure, such as local flaps, grafts, and other modalities, ensuring effective wound healing and reducing the risk of infections recurring.
Bioengineered skin tissue grafts have shown outstanding results in expediting the healing process of chronic and challenging wounds. In this procedure, our podiatric surgeons utilise engineered skin grafts and closely monitor the wound’s progress to ensure proper and thorough healing.
Our Podiatric and Limb Salvage Surgeons have undergone specialised training and hold certifications in Hyperbaric Medicine. This unique but increasingly sought-after modality in wound care can be selectively employed for complex foot wounds to facilitate healing. It is sometimes used independently but more frequently in conjunction with other treatment modalities.