[Diagnostics and therapy of the diabetic foot syndrome from a vascular surgery perspective]

There are more than 6 million diabetic patients in Germany. Due to neuropathic and angiopathic long term damage the number of patients with diabetic foot syndrome has been increasing dramatically over the past years. Despite all efforts for prevention, early diagnosis and adequate therapy, more than 20,000 diabetics undergo major limb amputation in Germany every year. A major portion of these amputations could be avoided if an improvement of the arterial perfusion would be timely considered. By consequent therapy in interdisciplinary centres, and by applying all methods of arterial revascularization, the amputation rate in patients with diabetic foot problems could be reduced by 80%. This article describes the diagnostics and therapy of the diabetic foot syndrome from a vascular surgical point of view. The importance of endovascular, vascular surgical as well as combined (hybrid) procedures of revascularization is emphasized.