Osteomyelitis is a serious infection of the bone inside the foot, usually caused when bacteria from a deep, long-standing diabetic foot ulcer penetrate through soft tissues into the underlying bone. Left untreated, bone destruction occurs, leading to severe structural damage and high risk of ambutation loss.
Common Symptoms
A deep ulcer where bone can be felt or seen at the base ("probe-to-bone") · Persistent, deep-seated aching foot pain · Chronic drainage or foul-smelling pus from an ulcer · Localized redness, warmth, and firm swelling that fails to resolve with basic antibiotics · Unexplained fever or general malaise
Our Treatment Approach
Probe-to-bone test, digital X-ray & MRI bone imaging → bone biopsy/culture → targeted high-dose intravenous antibiotic therapy → surgical bone curettage (precisely removing infected bone sections while preserving foot structure) → structured long-term follow-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does bone infection in the foot mean the whole foot must be amputated?
No. With timely podiatric intervention, bone curettage (removing only the infected bone portion) combined with targeted antibiotics can eliminate the infection and save the rest of the foot.
How is osteomyelitis diagnosed?
Diagnosis involves clinical probing of the wound, advanced imaging (X-rays/MRI), and bone tissue cultures to identify the exact bacteria causing the infection.
Book Osteomyelitis (Foot Bone Infection)
Most patients are seen within 48 hours. A care coordinator will call you to confirm.
