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Essentially in my lecture, what I'm trying to highlight is that there is a vast iceberg
of diabetic foot disease out there and that very many of the diabetic foot complications
very rarely present to foot specialists, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists.
It's really trying to understand the natural history of diabetic foot disease which will
empower us to make informed decisions about when to intervene and when not to intervene.
I had two sessions: one was a workshop on BTK techniques - advanced techniques, tricks
and tips; and the second session was on patient-based outcomes after interventional treatment in
the BTK area. We had to review patients before and after treatment for critical limb ischaemia.
I think interdisciplinary teamwork is very important in diabetic foot management. Diabetes
and diabetic foot ulceration is a really heterogeneous group of complications, for example problems
related to kidney disease and eye disease, and sugar control, as well as vascular complications.
Choosing the timing and the correct form of intervention is very, very important. Interventional
radiologists are involved at the decision-making stage about planning intervention.
IR can prevent a lot of amputations, so interventional treatment clearly should be the first choice
if ever possible and then we will obviate amputation in many cases.
I think it's enhanced patient care. I think that's key to enhancing my own practice so
it really offers patients solutions which we never would have thought were possible
ten or fifteen years ago, so we work very collaboratively with our interventional radiologists.