More than 200 physicians and surgeons from across Romania and the region attended the Romanian Association of Podiatry Symposium on the Diabetic Foot held in Sinaia, Romania this past week. Chaired by Dr. Norina Gavan and the University of Michigan’s Rodica Pop-Busui, the subject matter spanned the length and breadth of medical, surgical and mechanical care of the diabetic foot. “What we continue to see in Romania is the evolution of a distinct medical and surgical specialty”, noted David G. Armstrong, Professor of Surgery and Director of the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA) at Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. “Physicians, surgeons, scientists and policy makers see an unmet need to care for the high risk limb and this is now being addressed.” Lee Rogers, DPM, Director of Amputation Prevention Centers of America was equally enthusiastic. “This is just terrific to see. I imagine that this kind of model will be in place in many other nations over the coming years.” Frank Bowling, DPM, PhD, of the University of Manchester also predicted that “We see this growing each time we return to the region. This high-risk limb specialty is really taking hold.”
It is a thrilling to see such a great service offered towards the health of the Romanian population and not only. I have grad the privilede of working with Prof Bowling in UK and it is humbling to observe his passion for this area of medicine and his drive to spread the knowledge!
We have been working with Frank Bowling here in Bolton for almost two years and the outcomes for healing times of minor amputations has improved dramatically. As part of the work of our MDT – with Frank as a member- have reduced the number of major amputations.