Debridement

What is debridement?

Debridement is a medical procedure used to treat ulcers (wounds), particularly diabetic foot wounds

The treatment involves cleaning a wound and removing infected, dead, thickened skin or foreign debris with a scalpel or curette. Doing so reduces the risk of further infection and stimulates healing. 

Diabetic foot ulcers develop prior to 84% of diabetes-related lower-leg amputations, which is why it’s important to treat such wounds promptly. Nonsurgical and surgical debridement methods are available at Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists.

What are the benefits of debridement?

The advantages of debridement include:

• Increased growth factors
• Reduced inflammation
• Elimination of dead tissue and infection
• Faster healing
• Reduced pain
• Controls bacterial overgrowth
• Reduced risk of sepsis
• Lower risk of complications 

The treatment is vital to treat diabetic foot ulcers and reduce the need for diabetes-related amputations. 

Is debridement right for me?

The Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists team lets you know if you need debridement after discussing your symptoms and medical history. They examine your feet, evaluate any wounds, and discuss your treatment options before tailoring a plan that’s best suited for your situation. 

What are the different types of debridement?

The different types of debridement include:

Surgical debridement

During surgical debridement, your podiatrist uses surgical tools to remove infected or dead skin. They also clean and disinfect the area to reduce the risk of an infection spreading. 

Nonsurgical debridement

Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists offers numerous nonsurgical debridement methods to disinfect targeted tissues and promote healing. They provide enzymes, gels, films, water, and other methods to eliminate dead, infected tissues without surgical tools.

What should I expect after debridement?

After you undergo debridement, your provider will bandage the treatment area. You might take oral antibiotics to treat an infection, wear custom orthotics or other immobilization devices provided to you at the office to offload weight on a painful wound, and apply topical medicines to the treated area to further enhance healing. You will receive a simple custom treatment plan tailored to your needs.

Keep the treatment area clean, properly manage your blood sugar if you have diabetes, eat nutritious foods, get regular exercise, and see your podiatrist regularly to ensure proper healing and detect additional diabetic foot issues before they become problematic. 

To take advantage of debridement at Albuquerque Associated Podiatrists, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.