LONDON, UK – October 2025 — The 11th King’s International Summit on Modern Surgical Reconstruction and Multidisciplinary Care of the Diabetic Foot brought together global leaders in limb preservation for two days of intensive discussion, innovation, and collaboration at King’s Place, London.
Co-directed by Professors Mike Edmonds and Venu Kavarthapu, the meeting’s theme — “Breaking the Chains of the Diabetes Amputation Crisis” — underscored the urgent global call to reduce preventable amputations through multidisciplinary care and technology-driven prevention.
Reconnecting Science, Technology, and Compassion
Among the keynote presentations was Professor David G. Armstrong, Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Neurological Surgery at the University of Southern California, who delivered his address, “Breaking the Chain of Diabetic Amputations.”
Armstrong emphasized that progress against limb loss depends on “reconnecting the science of healing with the systems of care that make it scalable.” He described the growing convergence of regenerative medicine, connected health, and real-time patient monitoring — the “continuum of remission” — that enables people with diabetes to enjoy ulcer-free, hospital-free, and activity-rich days.
“We are standing at a point in history where technology and compassion can combine to make amputation a never event,” said Armstrong. “The next generation of prevention will not happen to our patients but with them — in their homes, in their shoes, and in their communities.”
A Collaboration Years in the Making
Armstrong’s keynote shared the stage with his longtime colleague and friend Professor Joseph L. Mills, Chief of Vascular Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, who also delivered a keynote entitled “The Rising Tide of DFUs: It’s Time to Stop Mending Dikes and Start Building Durable Bridges and Flow Management.”
Together, the two longtime collaborators offered a transatlantic vision of limb preservation — aligning surgical reconstruction, vascular innovation, and systems redesign to shift the focus from crisis response to continuous prevention.
“Working alongside Joe Mills again at King’s is always special,” Armstrong reflected. “Our fields are finally converging around a shared language — one that measures success not in procedures performed, but in limbs and lives preserved.”
Technology and Primary Prevention
On the second day of the Summit, Armstrong delivered “Technology in Primary Prevention of Diabetic Foot,” a session focused on the role of wearable sensors, artificial intelligence, and data-driven feedback in early detection.
“Technology can only transform care if it is trusted, continuous, and invisible,” said Armstrong. “The goal is not to replace clinicians but to extend their reach — from the clinic to the couch.”
A Global Alliance Against Limb Loss
The King’s International Summit continues to serve as one of the world’s most influential multidisciplinary meetings in diabetic foot care, uniting surgeons, podiatrists, nurses, and researchers across continents.
This year’s program spanned 10 scientific sessions and more than 100 faculty contributions, reflecting the growing integration of podiatric, orthopaedic, vascular, and plastic reconstructive expertise under one shared mission: ending preventable amputation within a generation.
About the King’s International Summit
Founded by Professors Mike Edmonds and Venu Kavarthapu, the King’s International Summit brought together experts in diabetic limb preservation, surgery, and multidisciplinary care from around the world. The 2025 meeting hosted at King’s Place, London.
About Professor David G. Armstrong
David G. Armstrong, DPM, MD, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Neurological Surgery at the University of Southern California, where he directs the NSF-funded Center to Stream Healthcare in Place (C2SHiP) and co-leads the Southwestern Academic Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA). His research focuses on advancing wearable technologies, regenerative therapies, and real-world data systems to reduce the global burden of diabetes-related amputations.
“We are standing at a point in history where technology and compassion can combine to make amputation a never event,” said Armstrong. “The next generation of prevention will not happen to our patients but with them—in their homes, in their shoes, and in their communities.” Thank you, Dr. Armstrong, for this wonderful intervention. If I wasn’t involved in maintaining my foot care, I would have died a long time ago. 40 years on insulin and no symptoms of complications, and my feet are beautiful and clean. Thank you, Dr. Merci