Type 2 Diabetes - Carbon Dioxide Laser Shows Promise in Treating Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious complication of Type 2 diabetes and are related to the high levels of blood sugar sustained over time. These particular diabetic ulcers consist of open sores on the feet. If not prevented or treated early they can infect the bone, requiring intravenous antibiotics or even amputation. Worldwide 300 million people are expected to develop diabetic foot ulcer by the year 2025. By 2031 the number is projected to rise to 360 million, or 5 percent of the world's population, according to the National Institutes of Health in the United States. As stated by the American Podiatric Medical Association, diabetic foot ulcers occur in about 15 percent of people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and usually develop on the bottom surface of the foot. About 6 percent of diabetics with the condition require hospitalization. In the United States...

• about 19 percent of the people who develop diabetic foot ulcers require amputation.
• a total of 85 percent of amputations in people diagnosed with diabetes follow foot ulcers.

In April of 2017, the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation reported on a study comparing the use of carbon dioxide laser therapy with standard treatment...

• standard treatment consists of using a knife to cut away dead tissue.
• carbon dioxide laser therapy consists of destroying dead tissue with laser radiation.

Investigators at the University of Careggi in Florence and several other research institutions in Italy found...

• carbon dioxide laser therapy killed 99.9 percent of the bacteria in these type of ulcers.
• standard treatment destroyed only 50 percent of the bacteria.
• the amount of ulcer covered with dead skin decreased by more than 84 percent with the laser treatment, compared to
• almost 47 percent of those receiving standard treatment.

The scientists concluded carbon dioxide lasers could be a useful treatment for healing diabetic foot ulcers.

Bacteria infecting foot ulcers are a mixed bunch. Antibiotics used to treat the ulcers are usually broad-spectrum, meaning they kill a wide variety of bacteria.

People with Type 2 diabetes are advised to take good care of their feet to prevent ulcers...

• wearing properly fitted shoes and purchasing a new pair every year is a good start.
• your feet should be kept clean: washed in lukewarm water and moisturized with lotion.
• the toenails should be cut straight across. Professional nail clipping by a podiatrist is one option, particularly for any diabetics with poor eyesight or numbness in their feet.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.