Wound Infections: The "Biofilm" Debate

You are all familiar with the statistics; 50% of all diabetic foot ulcers will eventually become infected, diabetic foot complications are the greatest cause of hospital days compared to other complications of diabetes, every 20 seconds, somewhere in the world, a limb amputation is performed  in a patient with diabetes. Despite newer, effective treatments for diabetes, there doesn't seem to be an impact on the number of foot wounds or infections. The Infectious Diseases Society of America and the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot publish evidence based treatment guidelines for the management of diabetic foot infections (DFI).  This lecture will explore the latest version of those guidelines.  I will be joined by Lee Rogers, DPM, Chief of Podiatric Surgery at Univ. of Texas San Antonio, the center were some of the greatest names in diabetic limb salvage, such as Larry Harkless, David Armstrong and Larry Lavery, trained. On any given day, Dr. Rogers' group can have 30 DFI inpatients on service.  We will review some of his memorable cases.