Neuropathic foot ulcer prevention in diabetic American Indians with hallux limitus.

Infected neuropathic ulcerations are the leading cause of diabetes-related partial foot amputations at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center. Ten hallucal ulcerations in seven American Indian patients with hallux limitus were resolved by local wound care and partial first metatarsophalangeal joint resection. The average length of postsurgical follow-up care was 28.8 months. There have been no recurrences of the plantar hallux ulcerations in any of the patients.