Diabetic foot ulcers
Sores on the feet of people with diabetes, where reduced feeling and blood flow can slow healing.
Don't wait on a foot wound
A foot or leg sore that isn't healing may need a circulation check, not just a new dressing. Our team tests blood flow, treats blockages and provides wound care.
- Minimally invasive options
- Outpatient care, no hospital stay
- Insurance checked before your visit
- Se habla español
Why it matters
Healing starts with blood flow
Wounds heal slowly when blood flow is poor. Diabetes can reduce feeling and blood flow in the feet, so a wound may be serious even when it is not painful. Finding and treating poor blood flow early can lower the risk of serious infection and amputation.
Our team treats the circulation problem behind the wound as well as the wound itself. That can include testing your circulation, opening narrowed arteries, specialized wound care and, for certain hard-to-heal wounds, hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Common symptoms
Does this sound familiar?
If any of these keep you from the things you enjoy, a visit can help find the cause and the options that fit you.
- A foot or leg sore that isn't healing
- A toe turning dark, blue or black
- Foot pain at rest, often at night
- Cold, numb or pale feet
- Swelling or darkened skin near the ankle
- A wound that is red, draining or worse
Conditions we treat
Conditions we evaluate and treat
Venous leg ulcers
Open sores, often near the ankle, caused by leaking veins and blood pooling in the legs.
Arterial wounds from poor circulation
Sores that won't heal because narrowed leg arteries (PAD) aren't bringing enough blood to the skin.
Nonhealing wounds and preventing amputation
Rest pain, a nonhealing wound or gangrene can mean severe PAD. Restoring blood flow plus wound care aims to heal the wound and save the limb.
Traumatic wounds
Lower-leg and foot wounds from injury that are slow to heal.
Treatments
Treatment options
Every plan starts with an evaluation. Your provider reviews your history, imaging and the treatments you have tried, then explains which options may fit.
TreatmentCirculation testing
Painless tests check whether poor blood flow is slowing healing. Skin perfusion pressure measures blood flow in the skin to show how well a wound may heal, and ABI and ultrasound find narrowed arteries or leaking veins.
- Most tests use ultrasound or blood pressure cuffs
- A normal ABI does not rule out a problem
- Results guide your treatment plan
Who it may help: Anyone with a foot or leg wound that is slow to heal.
TreatmentRestoring blood flow
When narrowed arteries are slowing healing, angioplasty, stenting or atherectomy can open them from the inside through a small puncture.
- Often outpatient
- No large incision
- Combined with wound care
Who it may help: People whose wound is not healing because of PAD.
TreatmentSpecialized wound care
We clean and dress wounds, monitor healing and treat the poor circulation behind them, working with our vascular physicians. Selected advanced tissue treatments may be used for some wounds.
- Special dressings
- Regular checks on healing
- Coordinated with vascular care
Who it may help: People with diabetic, venous, arterial or traumatic wounds.
TreatmentHBOT
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
You rest in a special chamber and breathe pure oxygen at higher pressure. This raises the oxygen in your blood, which may help some wounds heal.
- Usually given as a series of sessions
- Used alongside wound care
- Your care team checks fit and insurance coverage
Who it may help: People with certain hard-to-heal wounds, such as some diabetic foot wounds that haven't healed with standard care.
TreatmentVein treatment for venous ulcers
Closing the leaking vein lowers pressure in the legs, which can ease swelling and help protect your skin. Options include RFA, VenaSeal and Varithena.
- Done in the office
- Walk out the same day
- Compression is part of care
Who it may help: People with a healed or active venous ulcer.
Find out which options fit you
Our team checks your insurance before your visit.
What to expect
From first visit to follow-up
Wound and circulation check
We ask how long the wound has been open, check the pulses in your legs and feet, and look at the wound and skin.
Testing
Painless tests show how well blood is reaching the wound and whether arteries or veins need treatment.
Treatment plan
Your plan may combine wound care, treatment to restore blood flow and, for some wounds, hyperbaric oxygen. We verify your benefits before treatment.
Ongoing care
Regular visits monitor healing. Keep checking your feet daily, and call us if the wound looks worse.
Our team
Led by experienced physicians
Chief Medical Officer
Vinod Kumar, MD, FACC, RPVI
Dr. Kumar is a board-certified cardiologist and vascular specialist who leads the Heart Vascular & Leg Center and Advanced Joint Pain & Vascular Center team. He treats arterial and venous disease, nonhealing wounds and joint pain with minimally invasive, image-guided techniques, and trained in joint embolization in Tokyo with Dr. Yuji Okuno.
Serving Kern County since 1992Part of Heart Vascular & Leg Center.
Minimally invasive careImage-guided options, done as outpatient procedures.
Insurance checked firstWe verify coverage and referrals before your visit.
Se habla españolOur team speaks English and Spanish.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need a circulation check for a wound?
Wounds heal slowly when blood flow is poor. A foot or leg sore that is not healing may need a circulation check, not just a new dressing.
When should I call?
If you have a sore on your foot or leg that isn't healing, or a toe that turns dark, blue or black, call us right away at (661) 324-4100.
When is it an emergency?
Go to the emergency room for a foot wound with spreading redness, pus or fever, or a leg that suddenly turns cold, pale, numb or very painful.
What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
You rest in a special chamber and breathe pure oxygen at higher pressure, usually over a series of sessions. It may help some wounds heal. Your care team will tell you whether it fits your wound and what your insurance covers.
How can I protect my feet with diabetes?
Check your feet daily for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling or sores. Contact your healthcare team promptly about a new wound, a sore that is not healing, or signs of infection.
Locations
Find a location near you
Enter your ZIP code or city to see our offices sorted by distance. Procedures are done at our main center; our other offices see patients for consultations and follow-up visits.
Visit us
- Call for an appointment
- (661) 324-4100
- Locations
- 8 offices across Central and Southern California. Find the one nearest you
- Main website
- heartandleg.com