Coimbatore : Every 39 seconds, a foot is amputated somewhere in the world as a result of complication due to diabetic foot ulcer. Prevention of such amputation will be elaborated at a three-day 17th annual conference of the Diabetic Foot Society of India beginning here on August 23.

India was becoming the diabetic capital of the world and according to a survey about 8.8 per cent of its population was affected by diabetes mellitus in 2017, which was expected to increase to 11.4 per cent by 2045.

Many recent advances helped to prevent amputation through early diagnosis and intervention, which would be discussed at the conference organised at Ganga

Hospital, director and conference organising chairman Dr S Raja Sabhapathy told a press conference on Wednesday.

Foot ulcers were a leading cause of disability among diabetics and out of every 100 people with diabetes, 15 could develop some sort of foot problem which might eventually lead to amputation, he said.

The most common methods of treatment today included providing special footwear, ointments and regular dressings, which, however, had proved inadequate to improve ulcer healing in most patients, he said.

Surgery for prevention of diabetic foot ulcers and its treatment would be demonstrated by live surgical workshop at the hospital.

In addition to 16 live surgeries, techniques of foot pressure measurements, choice of footwear, and use of modern medications and their role would be discussed at the conference, which was to be addressed by 11 international faculties and participation of over 500 delegates was expected, Dr Sabapathy said.