HAMILTON, ON, June 5 /CNW/ - The new Mayer Institute has been created to provide treatment for an important, but neglected, complication of diabetes in Ontario. This clinic, dedicated to the treatment of diabetic foot disease, is the first of its kind in the province. The Mayer Institute provides advanced diabetic foot and wound care, complimented by aggressive, ongoing diabetic education.
With this unique approach they will attempt to reduce the diabetic amputation rate in Hamilton by 50% by the year 2012.
Diabetes is responsible for 75% of the non-traumatic lower limb amputations performed yearly in Canada. After a diabetic, lower limb amputation, 50% of patients will have their other limb amputated within 2 years. The 5-year mortality rate after limb amputation approaches 80%. This death rate is second only to lung cancer (86%).
"The really sad part of this is that the complications of diabetic foot disease are completely preventable. Treatment of a diabetic foot ulcer is simple - getting off the affected foot completely and surgically removing the dead, devitalized or callused tissue around the wound. Unfortunately, this typically does not happen. Instead, antibiotics are often prescribed for many weeks under mistaken impression that the ulcer was caused by an infection. This course usually ends in amputation," says Dr. Perry Mayer, MB, BCh, CCFP. "Diabetic ulcers are pressure wounds and to treat them properly, you need to take the pressure off the affected area. When the pressure is removed from the ulcer site, the ulcerative process is stopped. Advanced wound dressings can then be used to heal the wound. Any delay in the offloading and debridement process simply accelerates the pathway to amputation."
Dr. Mayer's aggressive approach to diabetic wound care saved the limb of 89-year-old John Mazur. After two medical opinions that he needed an amputation, he was referred to Dr. Mayer.
"Dr. Mayer was busy when I called but he said he wanted to see me right now! After seeing my wound that day he called me at 9 that night and told me I had an appointment the next morning for treatment," said John Mazur. "I thought I was going to lose my leg. Dr. Mayer arranged therapy and I got my leg healed up perfectly - not even a scar!"
Dr. Mayer is working with the outstanding local medical community to create a network that will increase access to advanced diabetic foot and wound care in Hamilton and surrounding areas.
For further information: or interviews contact: Laura Babcock, Media Liaison, (cell) (905) 466-3010
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