ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND EPIDEMIOLOGY Infections of the foot are common in patients with diabetes mellitus. It is estimated that 4% of patients with diabetes get a foot infection or ulcer in their lifetime (1). A foot infection is often the pivotal event leading to an amputation (2-5). A study by Eneroth and coworkers in Sweden showed that approximately 50% of 223 patients with an infection received an amputation, 10% of which were proximal (6). Most patients with a foot infection also have a foot wound. A foot ulcer can serve as a porte d’entre´e for pathogens. Furthermore, infections in the presence of ischemia can lead to necrosis and thus to further failure of the integument. In most risk classifications, patients with foot infections are considered to have a high risk for amputation. Given the crucial role infections play in the cascade towards amputation, it makes sense to treat them aggressively.
