Published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, the LEGenD-1 trial represents a step toward a potential milestone in regenerative medicine and limb preservation. The study, titled “Anatomically Directed Lower Extremity Gene Therapy for Ulcer Healing: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study,” demonstrates that gene therapy can safely potentially accelerate wound healing in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) and neuroischemic ulcers. The Investigators Behind the Work…

While total-contact casts (TCCs) remain, along with other irremovable devices the gold standard for off-loading diabetic foot ulcers in people who can tolerate them, concerns about immobility and venous thrombosis have lingered. Our recent systematic review found surprisingly low rates of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients treated with TCCs—only 1 in 136 cases (~0.7%), compared with rates up to…

A new bibliometric study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health offers the most comprehensive look yet at the evolution of diabetic foot research over the p...

Our friends and colleagues at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid—led by Mateo López-Moral, Marta García-Madrid, Esther García-Morales, Yolanda García-Álvarez, Francisco J. Álvaro-Afonso, and José Luis Lázaro-Martínez—have just published the DIATIME Comparative Efficacy Study, a randomized clinical trial that may help redefine how often we should see patients in remission after a healed diabetic foot ulcerLópez-Moral et al. 2025 - Compa….

For decades, prolonged courses of systemic antibiotics have been standard practice after surgery for orthopaedic infections—osteomyelitis, prosthetic joint infection, fracture-related infection, and yes, even diabetic foot infections. The reasoning was simple: biofilm is hard to reach, and more antibiotics must be better than less. But what if, with the right local antibiotic strategy, less really is more? The Study The…

Meloneras, Canary Islands — October 2025 Dr. David G. Armstrong, Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Neurological Surgery at the University of Southern California (USC), participated as an invited international faculty member at the 54th National Congress of Podiatry held in Meloneras, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. Dr. Armstrong delivered a featured lecture titled “Why is the podiatrist irreplaceable in the multidisciplinary team?

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”

In honor of Día de los Muertos, my deepest thanks to AMCICHAC — the Asociación Mexicana de Investigación en Cicatrización A.C. — for your warmth, wisdom, and hospitality during our time together in León. We can modify this for clinic and our patients to "muer-toes" 🙂 This beautiful Catrina, gifted by our colleagues, reminds us that life and death walk hand-in-hand — and that service, science, and compassion can help keep more people walking through life on their own two feet. Here’s to collaboration, community, and our shared goal of eliminating preventable amputations. AMCICHAC MÉXICO

When people think of “wearable tech,” they often imagine fitness trackers or virtual reality headsets. But in the operating room, wearable innovation is beginning to look a lot more like… a pair of sunglasses. In a new study published in Surgical Innovation by Feraru LM, Klonoff DC, and Armstrong DG, our team explored how Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses…

San Antonio, TX – October 6, 2025 — Returning to his roots, David G. Armstrong, DPM, MD, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Surgery and Neurological Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), delivered the General Surgery Grand Rounds at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA)—the very institution where his academic and surgical journey began three decades ago.

Los Angeles, CA — October 2025 — The Global Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Association has named Dr. David G. Armstrong as the recipient of the Global PAD Patient Champion of the Year award, recognizing his extraordinary dedication to advancing care, awareness, and advocacy for people living with PAD worldwide. This patient-nominated honor celebrates Dr. Armstrong’s lifelong commitment to preventing amputations and improving quality of life for those affected by vascular disease.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been an emerging therapy for patients with intractable ischemic pain and non-healing diabetic foot complications. While traditionally used for pain relief, evidence is building that SCS may also enhance blood flow, support ulcer healing, and even prolong limb salvage. But the critical question remains: who benefits most from this expensive and invasive therapy? A new study by…

When we speak of limb salvage, it is easy to think only in terms of preventing amputation. But as new evidence makes clear, the story does not end at the ankle. It is not just about preserving the limb—it is about extending life and helping people stay active, engaged, and moving. In a recent study, Kawaji and colleagues demonstrated a paradox that challenges traditional measures of “success.” Even when patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) ultimately required major amputation, those who were cared for by a multidisciplinary limb preservation team had markedly lower one-year mortality compared with patients treated outside such systems.