What Is Charcot Foot?
Article Sources
- 1. Kaynak, Gökhan et al. “An overview of the Charcot foot pathophysiology.” Diabetic Foot and Ankle vol. 4 (2013): 10.3402/dfa.v4i0.21117.
- 2. Roberts, Lee C. et al. “The Charcot Foot in Diabetes.” Diabetes Care, vol. 34(9) (2011): 2123-2129.https://doi.org/10.2337/dc11-0844
- 3. Shah, Mrugeshkumar et al. “Charcot Arthropathy.” Medscape Drugs and Diseases (2020): https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1234293-overview
7. Treatment
Patients are required to wear a cast on the injured foot for an average of 12.5 to 18.5 weeks. The cast serves to restrict movement, alleviate pressure, and prevent further injury during healing. When the cast is no longer necessary, patients must wear a brace and special shoes for up to two years.3Shah, Mrugeshkumar et al. “Charcot Arthropathy.” Medscape Drugs and Diseases (2020): https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1234293-overview
Surgery is necessary in cases of extreme deformity, when the foot will not fit into a cast or brace, or when other methods have proven unsuccessful. Surgeons work to even out the sole of the foot so that it can fit into a shoe and allow the patient to walk. Less than one-fourth of patients require surgery.3Shah, Mrugeshkumar et al. “Charcot Arthropathy.” Medscape Drugs and Diseases (2020): https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1234293-overview
Advertisement
