NEUROPATHIC ULCER

Course overview

NEUROPATHIC ULCERS OCCUR WHEN A PATIENT WITH POOR NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS PRESSURE POINTS THAT CAUSE ULCERATION THROUGH THE EPIDERMAL AND DERMAL TISSUE LAYERS. THIS IS A COMMON CONDITION IN THE FOOT, AND OCCASIONALLY OTHER BODY PARTS. IN ORDER TO DECREASE HEALING TIME AND AVOID THE ASSOCIATED MORBIDITY AND OCCASIONAL MORTALITY WITH THIS DISEASE, IT MUST BE RECOGNIZED EARLY, EVALUATED PROPERLY, AND TREATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THERAPIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO WORK. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION OF NEUROPATHIC ULCERS AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.