Diabetic Foot Ulcers - Circirculator Boot Treatment

Poor circulation is a major cause of non healing wounds, ulcers and chronic pain in your legs and feet. Skin ulcers develop when blood flow is no longer able to supply the nutrients and oxygen needed by the tissues. This is the result of arteries and veins that have deteriorated and lost their capacity, often as a complication to diabetes.

Some forms of vascular disease can be corrected by surgical procedures, but many cases are inoperable. If a wound or ulcer is not responding to conservative treatment, the deterioration process will continue. However, there is an effective treatment available so that you can keep your toes, feet and legs, and regain a healthy lifestyle.

CIRCULATOR BOOT THERAPY
The Circulator Boot uses air pressure to provide a continuous series of gentle, short-duration compression pulses. The primary reason that the system works so well is that the timing of the compressions is controlled by its cardiac monitor. The accurately timed pressure pulses occur between heart beats.

Doctors who are familiar with the Circulator Boot recommend it as an excellent method for treating and correcting circulation problems. A recent article, from the Mayo Clinic & Foundation, published in Vascular Medicine, reported that "Complete ulcer healing as well as preservation of the affected limb can be achieved in most cases."

RESTORE CIRCULATION
As well as providing an immediate boost to arterial and venous circulation, the procedure slowly breaks down clots. It increases the breakdown of plaque within the arteries by the release of nitric oxide and PGI2 from the endothelial cells of the capillaries. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator and activator of angiogenesis (formation of new arteries). PGI2 is a vasodilator and inhibitor of platelet aggregation. Oxygen and nourishment increase. You will see swelling and pain subside with the first few sessions. As circulation is restored with each further session, the body can begin to heal itself.

It is important for you to begin boot therapy early, at the first sign of an erupting problem if possible. The healing process develops more quickly when extensive tissue damage has not yet occurred.

The typical treatment time is 40 minutes, plus pre-soak time and dressing time, within a one-hour clinic session. With a schedule of three to five treatments per week, a minor ulcer can heal in four weeks. A severely diseased leg could take 15 to 25 weeks to save. A typical treatment program spans about eight weeks.

You can read about this patient at the web site www.circulator.com as Case History 191. Over 200 cases are described. Your condition is likely similar to those described.

GREAT RESULTS
As circulation returns, you see a healthy pink colour, the size of the wound decreases, pain fades and tactile sensation returns. The results are lasting.

A: Healing can take many weeks, but the status of the ulcer after four weeks is generally a good prediction of final healing potential. So, if an ulcer has not shown progress towards healing after four weeks of care, you need a more aggressive approach. Ask your doctor or therapist about Circulator Boot treatment. There are over 40 clinics that use this method. The treatment process is non-surgical and is very cost effective for our health care system. An un-treated ulcer leads to a never-ending series of wound care sessions, doctor visits, surgical resections, hospital stays, prosthesis fittings and ongoing disability.

A: No Other compression systems, such as sequential compression, are primarily intended for treating fluid retention and edema. With the Circulator Boot, the compressions are timed to occur exactly at the heart inter-beat interval to increase blood flow.

A: Yes You do not need to clear up the infection before using the Circulator Boot. The treatment will disperse medication such as antibiotics through the affected tissues.

Q. My doctor says I am a poor surgical risk. Can I still have Circulator Boot treatment?

A: Yes Poor blood flow, infection and certain cardiac problems that preclude surgery do not produce problems with Circulator Boot treatment. Deep-vein thrombosis is a contra-indication.

Q. I am facing an amputation of my big toe. Will it help to heal the incision?

A: Yes The resulting incision will need adequate blood circulation to heal properly. Otherwise, an incision often proves to be difficult to heal, resulting in further amputation. But why not focus on keeping the toe? Your foot functions best when it is intact. Removing the toe will make normal walking a challenge and likely lead to further amputations.

CIRCULATOR BOOT TREATMENT