[The diabetic foot].

The diabetic foot presents a complex interplay of neuropathic, macrovascular, and microvascular disease on an abnormal metabolic background, complicated by an increased susceptibility to mechanical, thermal, and chemical injury and decreased healing ability. The abnormalities of diabetes, once present, are not curable. But most severe foot abnormalities in the diabetic are due to neglect of injury and are mostly preventable. The physician must ensure that the diabetic patient learns the principles of good foot care. If time for teaching is limited, this task must be delegated to a podiatrist or a diabetes nurse educator in a diabetes day centre. It is the physician's responsibility to confirm foot care by personal inspection of the feet of all diabetic patients at every visit.