ARTICLE SUMMARY:
A start-up born from the UK’s National Metrology Institute takes a proactive approach to treating diabetic foot ulcers before amputation becomes necessary.
Today, around 500 million people worldwide have diabetes, with that number expected to grow at least another 100 million by 2030. Of this population, one in five individuals is at high risk of developing a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), a condition that hinders mobility as well as quality of life and can require amputation in severe cases. Nearly one-third of patients who receive minor amputations (part of the foot), and about half of those who receive whole-foot amputations, do not survive five years past the operation. Of all amputation surgeries performed overall, 85% are in response to DFUs.
Thermology Health is a UK-based start-up dedicated to catching the early signs of DFU risk before they occur in order to improve care outcomes. CEO Yuval Yashiv explains that DFUs cost the UK’s National Health Service£1.5 billion per year in direct costs alone, more if factoring in missed workdays and associated expenses. In the US, DFU treatment places an $80 billion burden on the healthcare system. “This occurs in patients who don’t have good control over their diabetes,” Yashiv says. “They’ve likely had it for a while and they have neuropathy so they don’t feel their feet, and they probably have a suppressed immune system.”
