Rise In Number Of People With Diabetes Receiving Lower Limb Amputations

Up to 80% of amputations in 2014 diabetes related could have been avoided with earlier diagnosis and treatment, according to Diabetes Ireland.

According to recent HSE figures released to Deputy Ciaran Lynch TD, the number of people with diabetes receiving lower limb amputation surgery increased from 393 people in 2013 to 440 people in 2014. Also in 2014, a further 1,697 people with diabetes required hospital in-patient treatment for foot ulceration spending on average 14 days in hospital.

Despite the introduction of a National Diabetes Footcare programme by the HSE in 2010, a service that today employs 22 podiatrists, numbers of amputations continue to rise. "We are not even stemming the number of diabetes related amputations and in-patient foot ulceration treatment year on year," said Dr Anna Clarke of Diabetes Ireland.

Lower limb amputation is one of the preventable potential complications of long term poorly controlled diabetes. However, due to continued under-resourcing of podiatry services, there is inadequate specialised early screening and thus the lack of early intervention in patients who require it.

An Irish Study showed that the average inpatient hospital treatment of a diabetes related foot ulcer is €30,000 and based on this, the cost to the HSE of treating 440 diabetes related lower limb amputations was over €13.2m in 2014. Add that to the cost of treating a further 1,697 diabetes patients admitted to hospital for foot ulceration treatment and we are looking at a total cost to the HSE of over €63m in 2014.

(CD)