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 About 25 percent of the patients treated at the SIU School of Medicine Orthopaedics Division suffer from diabetic foot and ankle complications, according to Dr. O.B. Idusuyi, diabetic foot specialist and SIU orthopaedic surgeon.
“The key for a diabetic patient is education. We provide education, from the importance of general foot care and how to choose suitable footwear to how to monitor sensation in the foot,” says Dr. Idusuyi. “This clinic gives us a chance to detect patients with a high risk foot.”
The clinic benefits from a comprehensive approach to patient care. This is accomplished by employing the latest methods of treating the diabetic foot and ankle, such as the VAC system (vacuum-assisted closure), which treats diabetic wounds and accelerates the healing process and new tissue growth in stasis and diabetic foot ulcers.
The diabetic foot clinic also offers revision surgery, using the latest in technology to improve past surgical procedures.
SIU School of Medicine is at the forefront of procedures and treatments to decrease healing time and allow for quicker patient mobility post-surgery.
The Division of Orthopaedics’ Diabetic Foot Clinic not only treats patients with diabetes, but also strives to educate patients about preventative lifestyle habits and coping with the disease. The specialty focuses on general orthopaedic trauma, arthroscopy, correction of complex foot and ankle deformities, total ankle arthroplasty, management of diabetic-related foot and ankle complications and problem-based learning curriculum.
 Dr. Idusuyi provides information on developing good lifetime habits, including daily examination of feet and shoes, daily washing and foot care, wearing properly fitting shoes and socks, and why it’s important to seek medical attention at the earliest sign of problems.
Dr. Idusuyi stresses education because patients with diabetes account for more than half of the foot amputations performed each year in the United States. With proper foot care and education, a significant amount of these amputations can be avoided.
SIU School of Medicine uses the latest research evidence available to approach this specialty. The field of biologicals, for example (the biology of wound healing) allows the medical experts at SIU School of Medicine to inform patients about the biological link between their condition and possible treatments. Another area of future expansion is fixations and refiguring the foot and ankle to prevent patients from being bedridden. The key in advancing this method is in antibody vascular surgery, which is used to treat the less severe cases of the diabetic condition.
For the past five years, free screenings have been held in November to identify patients from throughout Central Illinois who are at risk for foot problems. Each year, about 50 patients are seen during the two-day event.
 “The key for a diabetic patient is education. We educate patients on a variety of issues, from the importance of meticulous foot care and how to choose suitable footwear to how to monitor sensation in the foot,” He says. “This clinic gives us a chance to detect patients with a high risk foot,” says Dr. Idusuyi.
What: A free foot screening, sponsored by SIU School of Medicine, as part of National Diabetes Awareness month. The screenings are part of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society’s campaign to educate individuals with diabetes about the importance of proper foot care.
Who is eligible: Diabetics with ulcers on their feet, numbness of feet, crooked feet, swelling or redness of one or both feet and a history of previous foot surgery. Patients receive information on practicing routine foot care habits, including daily examination of feet and shoes, daily washing and foot care, wearing properly fitting shoes and socks, and a guide to seeking medical attention at the earliest sign of problems.
When: Special screenings are held in November.
Where: The SIU Clinics Building, 751 N. Rutledge Street (first floor – Room 1700) in Springfield.
SIU Specialist: Dr. O.B. Idusuyi, diabetic foot specialist and SIU orthopaedic surgeon, performs the screenings. Dr. Idusuyi specializes in general orthopaedic trauma, arthroscopy and correction of complex foot and ankle deformities as well as diabetic foot problems. He is the medical director of the Central Illinois Diabetic Research and Foot Clinic and the Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Center, an affiliate of the Bone and Joint Institute at St. John’s Hospital.
Registration: Advance registration is required. To register, call 217-545-8879 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Parking is available in the adjoining parking garage off Miller Street.
- Diabetics are at risk for developing foot ulcers and infections due to a condition called peripheral neuropathy which causes a loss of sensation in the feet.
- Diabetics are susceptible to poor circulation.
- Patients with diabetics account for more than half of the foot amputations performed each year in the United States. With proper foot care and education, a significant amount of amputations can be avoided.
- Education is a key component to diabetic foot care.
- Diabetics should not walk barefoot or soak their feet.
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