[The diabetic foot]

The socio-economic, medical and psycho-social consequences of lower-limb injuries in diabetic patients are enormous. The risk of lower extremity amputation is 15 times greater in diabetic patients than in the age-matched non-diabetic population. About 1000 diabetic patients undergo a disabling amputation annually in Switzerland. Implementation of appropriate educational and foot-care programmes by motivated pluridisciplinary teams may reduce major amputations by as much as 50%. Regular examination of the feet of diabetic patients, therefore, deserves the same priority in diabetes care as control of the optic fundus and of kidney function, but unfortunately this is seldom the case. These guidelines summarize the physiopathology, the diagnosis and the treatment of diabetic foot problems. Emphasis is placed on simple preventive measures which should help protect the majority of high-risk patients.