According to the World Health Organization, there were 830 million people living with diabetes in 2022, as compared to 200 million in 1990. This chronic, metabolic condition that affects millions of people worldwide may lead to other health complications if not diagnosed and treated on time.

While the link between diabetes and health issues like obesity and vision problems is widely acknowledged, a lesser-known complication that may arise out of uncontrolled diabetes is foot gangrene, which can have serious consequences.

Dr Ashank Bansal, who is a vascular surgeon and interventional radiologist at Surana Sethia Hospital in Chembur, informs, “Foot gangrene occurs when blood flow to the foot is reduced, leading to tissue death due to a lack of oxygen, which further causes infection. People with uncontrolled blood sugar, nerve damage (neuropathy), and poor circulation are at a greater risk.”