| Patient Testimonial
Yolanda, GRAFTJACKET® Regenerative Tissue Matrix - Ulcer Repair Recipient
Yolanda is one of the almost 20 million Americans who have diabetes. But unlike thousands of people with diabetes, Yolanda never experienced any of the most serious side effects related to the disease, such as heart disease, stroke or vision problems. Yolanda considered herself to be a healthy woman even though she had been living with diabetes for over 12 years. She visited her doctor regularly to make sure the disease was under control, but ironically, it was during one of these visits that the disease would reveal one of its most severe side effects.
About four months ago, Yolanda was leaving her doctors' office and was on her way to the car when she got dizzy and fell on the street. When she got up, Yolanda realized that she had injured her right foot; she had cuts on her big toe and the toe next to it. Yolanda treated the irritations and thought that they would heal properly like any other minor cuts. But, after two months, the open sores showed no sign of healing and only seemed to get worse. Yolanda was scared by the appearance of her toes and decided it was time to seek professional help. She quickly went to see Drs. Jane Holewinski and Marie Williams at Premier Foot & Ankle Center in Miami.
Dr. Holewinski found that Yolanda's toes had gotten so infected that she was close to losing both of them. The diabetes that hadn't worried Yolanda for so many years had sadly shown its side effects. The disease would not allow the open cuts to heal on their own, because diabetes compromises the body's ability to fight infection. Yolanda was admitted to the hospital and had surgery to remove all the dead skin from the infected areas. Yolanda recalls her toes with barely any skin, almost to the bones. Her doctors recommended the use of a GRAFTJACKET® Matrix. "I just wanted to cure my feet," Yolanda says. "I was about to lose my toes, and at that stage, any treatment was a huge help."
After the initial surgery and antibiotics, the doctors moved ahead and started treating Yolanda with GRAFTJACKET® Matrix. The minimally-invasive procedure was performed while Yolanda was in the hospital and she was able to see an improvement in her toes following the first application of the ulcer repair matrix.
Yolanda continued with the treatment for the next three months and saw her toes finally recover.
"It is possible that I could have lost my toes if it wasn't for the treatment I received," says Yolanda. "And now I'm back to walking and moving around. I am grateful to Dr. Holewinski and Dr. Williams for all the treatments they gave me, which I believe, may have ultimately saved my foot!"
These results are specific to this individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level.
There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.
Only a physician can tell you if this product and associated procedure are right for you and your unique circumstances. Please consult with a physician for complete information regarding benefits, risks and possible outcomes.
All statistics related to diabetes and diabetes foot care are taken from published information provided by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), and National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC).
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