Bone Infection, Non-Elective Surgery, and Minor Trauma

SURGERY – Limb Salvage

Dr.Pulapaka evaluates comprehensive medical and surgical care for a wide spectrum of foot and ankle conditions including common to complex disorders and injuries that affect people of all ages. She is uniquely qualified to detect the early stages of diseases that exhibit warning signs in the lower extremities, such as diabetes, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease, and they manage foot conditions that may pose an ongoing threat to a patient’s overall health.

Dr. Pulapaka’s specialty is osteomyelitis, which is an infection of the bone, and it can be very difficult to eliminate. Under the capable experience of Dr. Pulapaka and her diligent team in West Volusia, the condition can be successfully treated.  Most doctors have difficulty diagnosing osteomyelitis, but her experience with orthopedic bone degeneration, destruction from infected wounds, and her Fellowship in Russia enables her to effectively identify and assess this condition.

Dr. Pulapaka is dedicated to the successful treatment of a health threat like osteomyelitis to avoid serious consequences. Her goal in these cases is to contain the infection and destroy it to preserve function and restore the musculoskeletal structure back to the toes, foot, or ankle.

Podiatric limb salvage surgery includes both conservative and surgical modalities. Understanding the biomechanics of the lower extremity is principally emphasized in the education and training of a podiatrist. This is particularly important in the context of the diabetic foot where biomechanical abnormalities often precede ulcer development. Preventive ulcer development strategies employed by a Dr. Pulapaka include regular monitoring, routine care of calluses, and insert/shoe recommendations. Further,  ulcer care as well as surgery that include prophylactic and acute intervention can translate to the preservation of a functional limb. Finally, continuous podiatric management can prevent ulcer recurrence through offloading strategies and diabetic foot education.