Background: Diabetes mellitus continues to grow in global prevalence and to consume an increasing amount of health care
resources. One of the key areas of morbidity associated with diabetes is the diabetic foot. To improve the care of patients
with diabetic foot and to provide an evidence-based multidisciplinary management approach, the Society for Vascular
Surgery in collaboration with the American Podiatric Medical Association and the Society for Vascular Medicine
developed this clinical practice guideline.
Methods: The committee made specific practice recommendations using the Grades of Recommendation Assessment,
Development, and Evaluation system. This was based on five systematic reviews of the literature. Speci fic areas of focus
included (1) prevention of diabetic foot ulceration, (2) off-loading, (3) diagnosis of osteomyelitis, (4) wound care, and (5)
peripheral arterial disease.
Results:Although we identi fied only limited high-quality evidence for many of the critical questions, we used the best
available evidence and considered the patients’ values and preferences and the clinical context to develop these guidelines.
We include preventive recommendations such as those for adequate glycemic control, periodic foot inspection, and patient
and family education. We recommend using custom therapeutic footwear in high-risk diabetic patients, including those
with significant neuropathy, foot deformities, or previous amputation. In patients with plantar diabetic foot ulcer (DFU),
we recommend off-loading with a total contact cast or irremovable fi xed ankle walking boot. In patients with a new DFU,
we recommend probe to bone test and plain films to be followed by magnetic resonance imaging if a soft tissue abscess or
osteomyelitis is suspected. We provide recommendations on comprehensive wound care and various débridement
methods. For DFUs that fail to improve ( >50% wound area reduction) after a minimum of 4 weeks of standard wound
therapy, we recommend adjunctive wound therapy options. In patients with DFU who have peripheral arterial disease, we
recommend revascularization by either surgical bypass or endovascular therapy.
Conclusions:Whereas these guidelines have addressed five key areas in the care of DFUs, they do not cover all the aspects of
this complex condition. Going forward as future evidence accumulates, we plan to update our recommendations
accordingly. (J Vasc Surg 2016;63:3S-21S.)