Foot wounds are open cuts or sores that form on the feet. There are several different types of foot wounds. If you have any wounds on your feet, it is strongly suggested that you seek the care of a podiatrist.
1. What are Foot Ulcers?
Foot ulcers are a major global healthcare problem. It is estimated that each year around 4 million people get a foot ulcer. A foot ulcer is caused by trauma to the foot in combination with nerve damage and blood circulation problems.
Chronic foot ulcers mainly affect the elderly. If associated with poorly controlled medical problems it may lead to the loss of leg.
2. What is the Appearance of a Foot Ulcer?
Foot ulcer is an erosive or penetrating lesion on the foot. It looks like a crater or open sore in the skin as if the surface of the tissue has been excavated. In most people such an injury heals up within a week or two. However, when there is an underlying problem such as poorly controlled diabetes, the skin does not heal and results in a leg ulcer. Foot ulcers may involve the skin’s surface, full thickness of the skin, tendons and even bones. It is marked by inflammation, formation of pus and sloughing of damaged tissues.
Diabetic Ulcers have a callus, thickened and raised tissue surrounding the ridge of the ulcer. Stasis ulcers are red, shallow, with irregular edges; with a crust of necrotic tissue overlying the ulcer bed.
3. What are the Different Types of Foot Ulcer?
- Neuropathic ulcers [Diabetic ulcers]: These are commonest cause for lower extremity amputation. Nerve damage results in impaired sensation in the feet. When a person has an injury, blisters, or cracks on the foot, they cannot feel it. The injury may go unnoticed and untreated, leading to an ulcer.
- Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication of Type I & 2 diabetes. In fact it is estimated that one in every six people with diabetes will have a foot ulcer during their lifetime. Foot problems such as ulcerations, infections, and gangrene, are the most common cause of hospitalization among diabetic patients.
- Arterial leg ulcers [Ischemic ulcers]: These approximate 10 percent of all leg ulcers. They are due to insufficient arterial blood supply. They usually do not bleed.
- Venous leg ulcers [Stasis ulcers]: These are found in people who have varicose veins or blood clots. Damaged valves or blocked veins cause the blood to pool in the vein. Sometimes, the blood leaks out of the vein into the surrounding tissue, causing the tissue to breakdown and form an ulcer.
Gel Multidex is indicated in the treatment of all foot ulcers thanks to its mechanism of both moisturizing the ulcer and healing the ulcer by a natural mechanism (with Maltodextrin and 1% Ascorbic Acid - Vitamin C). The product has been used by doctors in the US for more than 45 years in the treatment of wounds, ulcers, and burns.
Multidex® is available as a gel (for mild to moderate exuding wounds) and as a powder (for moderate to severe exudative wounds).
Multidex® creates an optimal moist environment that prevents the wound from drying out and is conducive to granulation tissue growth and epithelial proliferation. The ingredient Maltodextrin stimulates autolysis by attracting white blood cells that digest debris and bacteria through phagocytosis. Maltodextrin also attracts collagen-forming fibroblasts and promotes granulation tissue growth. Vitamin C creates an acidic environment in the wound by lowering the pH to 4.2. This supports bactericidal and bacteriostatic mechanisms against some aerobic/anaerobic, gram-negative/gram-positive bacteria. Vitamin C is also needed for collagen synthesis.