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Diabetic foot infection — limb threat ⚠️ 🦶
Diabetic foot infection — limb threat ⚠️ 🦶
Neuropathy blunts pain, impaired perfusion impedes healing and deep tissue infection can progress beneath a modest surface lesion.
🔎 Recognise
Look for ulceration, spreading redness, purulence, new swelling, gangrene, systemic illness or an unexplained hot swollen foot. Consider acute Charcot arthropathy and ischaemia.
🛟 First actions
Arrange urgent multidisciplinary diabetic-foot assessment; severe infection, sepsis or suspected acute limb ischaemia requires emergency admission and surgical/vascular input. Offload pressure and protect the foot.
🧪 Investigations and reassessment
Document wound depth, perfusion and neuropathy; obtain deep tissue sampling where feasible and evaluate for osteomyelitis. Use local severity-based antibiotic pathways and review response.
⚠️ Common pitfalls and escalation
Do not assume no pain means no deep infection. Normal initial inflammatory markers or X-ray do not rule out osteomyelitis; avoid antibiotics for clinically uninfected ulcers.
UK reference: NICE NG19 diabetic foot. Focused editorial source check, 7 November 2026; this is not independent clinical or pharmacy sign-off. Verify current local policy, BNF/BNFC and specialist advice before treatment. Not a prescribing protocol.
Related guides: Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 ✅ · Cellulitis versus abscess — FY quick guide ⚠️ 🦠
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