DIABETIC FOOT ULCERS

Diabetics are prone to foot ulcers due to peripheral neuropathy: decreased sensation caused by this condition can result in a cut and trauma to the foot going unnoticed or can result in unusual pressures being placed on the foot. Diabetic foot ulcers are the most significant wound care problem in the United States and the world. There are now over 60 million diabetic patients in the United States, with an incidence of foot ulcers of approximately 20-25 percent over the patient’s lifetime. Currently, there are approximately 100,000 limb amputations performed in diabetic patients each year in the United States. The exact cost of care for diabetic foot ulcers is difficult to determine, but is likely to be measured in billions of dollars.

Diabetes and, therefore, diabetic foot ulcer complications are growing at double digit rates and have the potential of becoming even a more devastating epidemic.

Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis

A disease caused by the parasite, Leishmania. It is transmitted to humans from the bite of a sand fly. There are two forms: a cutaneous form involving the skin and mucous membranes, and a visceral form involving the entire body. The visceral form can be deadly. The parasite is found in every continent except Australia. In the Americas, leishmaniasis can be found in Mexico and South America.

Symptoms;
The cutaneous form causes: skin sores, skin ulcers, mouth ulcers, breathing problems, painful swallowing.

OSTEONECROSIS of the Jaw

The most serious Fosamax side effect is the development of a bone disease called osteonecrosis of the jaw(ONJ), or "dead jaw." Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a rare form of osteonecrosis affecting the maxillofacial region of the body.

The onset of ONJ is linked with the temporary or permanent loss of blood to bone tissue, leading to death of the tissue and the eventual collapse of the bone. There are approximately 10,000 to 20,000 new cases of osteonecrosis diagnosed each year in the United States, most of which occur as a result of some type of bone injury such as a fracture or dislocation.

In addition to being caused as a result of some type of trauma, instances of ONJ have also been caused as a result of using certain bisphosphonate drugs. Fosamax users run the risk of developing a serious case of osteonecrosis of the jaw and suffering through the extreme pain associated with the death of jawbone tissue. The pain associated with ONJ is said to be similar to that which is suffered when eyes are pulled out

GANGRENE

Gangrene is a medical term used to describe the death of an area of the body. It develops when the blood supply is cut off to the affected part as a result of various processes, such as infection, vascular (pertaining to blood vessels) disease, or trauma. Gangrene can involve any part of the body; the most common sites include the toes, fingers, feet, and hands.





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