Associate Professor Chong Tze Tec, Head and Senior Consultant from the Vascular Surgery Department at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) answers your questions on diabetic foot ulcers and varicose vein disease.
For April's 'Ask the Specialist' Q&A forum,
Associate Professor Chong Tze Tec, Head & Senior Cosultant, from the
Vascular Surgery Department at
Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the
SingHealth group, answers your questions on two common vascular conditions:
Diabetic foot ulcers
Singapore declared a war against diabetes. We have an increasing incidence of diabetes due to a combination of genetics, diet and our lifestyle. Diabetics have a 25% chance of having a foot ulcer over their lifetime. With appropriate wound care, infection control and revascularization most ulcers can heal. However if neglected, these could lead to amputation.
As a vascular surgeon, Assoc Prof Chong Tze Tec is most concerned with limb preservation and early ulcer treatment to maximise the chances of wound healing. Now with endovascular options, minimally invasive treatments are common to improve the blood flow to the foot and thus ulcer healing rates.
Varicose vein disease
Symptomatic venous reflux is a common health condition affecting males and females alike. The incidence increases as we age and is more prevalent in people with long standing occupations such as sales staff, teachers, nurses, food sellers etc. Often patients complain of swelling, dull aches, heaviness in legs, pigmentation and varicose veins.
These should be investigated and simple solutions not requiring hospitalisation could be offered including venous ablation. SGH offers the complete range of therapy for venous diseases.
This 'Ask the Specialist' forum has closed. Thank you for your interest and participation.
About Assoc Prof Chong Tze Tec
Associate Professor Chong Tze Tec graduated from the University of Sydney with MBBS (First class honours). He did his general surgery training at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore and Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston. Upon being awarded the John Homan’s fellowship, he pursued his subspecialty training in vascular and endovascular surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
He is double boarded by the American Board of Surgery in general surgery and vascular surgery. He was then recruited to Brown Alpert School of Medicine to develop their vascular and endovascular surgery program at The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals.
After four successful years of practice, he has relocated to Singapore with his family to be at SGH. He is currently Head, Department of Vascular Surgery. As a key opinion leader in the region, he frequently proctors cases in Complex Aortic, Peripheral Vascular and Venous territories.
As the founding Head, SingHealth Duke-NUS Disease Center (Vascular), he is keen to improve the level of treatment in vascular diseases in all SingHealth institutions and focus on data driven improvements in clinical care. He also strongly believes in medical education of the next generation of doctors, he is currently the Vice Chair Undergraduate Education in Surgery ACP and Assistant Dean at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.
Because #healthiswealth #healthforgood
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