Nerve damage caused by diabetes, medically known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, occurs when prolonged high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels that nourish the nerves. This condition manifests through symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling, significantly affecting patients' quality of life.
Nerve compression, on the other hand, arises due to tissue changes caused by diabetes, putting pressure on the nerves and sometimes requiring surgical intervention.
The Dellon Technique is a triple nerve decompression surgery specifically developed to treat nerve compressions caused by diabetic neuropathy. In this procedure, specific anatomical areas are targeted to relieve nerve pressure, reduce pain, improve sensory function, and significantly lower the risk of foot ulcers and amputations.
Clinical studies show that this surgical intervention provides significant pain relief and sensory improvement in approximately 80% of patients.
In this article, the symptoms, treatment methods of diabetic neuropathy, and the effectiveness of the Dellon Technique are thoroughly discussed, offering long-term solutions to improve patients' quality of life.
Diabetes and Nerve Damage
Nerve damage caused by diabetes, also referred to as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, is one of the most common complications of diabetes and can have severe effects on the nerves. Prolonged high blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the nerves.
This condition typically begins in the feet and legs and can eventually affect the hands and arms. In some cases, symptoms worsen at night, disrupting sleep patterns.
Although diabetic peripheral neuropathy cannot be fully cured, its symptoms can be effectively managed with appropriate treatment methods. The primary goals of treatment are to slow disease progression, reverse nerve damage, prevent complications such as infections and amputations, and alleviate severe pain.
The Relationship Between Diabetes and Nerve Compression
Diabetes can cause structural changes that lead to nerve compression. Nerve compression occurs when pressure is applied to a nerve, resulting in pain and discomfort. Inflammation and tissue changes caused by diabetes can narrow the natural tunnels in the body through which nerves pass, leading to compression. This condition manifests with symptoms such as pain and numbness.
Multiple nerve compressions are particularly common in diabetic patients. For example, a patient experiencing pain on both the top and bottom of their foot may have two distinct nerve compressions. In such cases, surgical intervention can reduce pain, improve sensory function, and enhance the patient’s balance.
Symptoms of Nerve Damage in Diabetic Patients
Diabetic neuropathy and nerve compression often present with similar symptoms:
Sharp or burning pain
Tingling, numbness
"Pins and needles" sensation
Weakness
Extreme sensitivity to normal touch
Muscle atrophy or loss of function
A positive Tinel's Sign is an important diagnostic clue for nerve compression. This sign involves applying light pressure to the nerve during examination, causing pain and numbness similar to the sensation of hitting your elbow on a hard surface. If this sign is present in a diabetic patient, there is an 85% chance that nerve compression can be successfully treated with surgery.
Medications Are Not a Permanent Solution
Medications, injections, and electrical stimulation are commonly used to treat nerve pain. However, these methods provide only temporary relief and do not address the underlying cause of the pain. For a permanent solution, the pressure causing nerve compression must be relieved through decompression surgery.
Peripheral Nerve Surgery as a Solution
Clinical studies have shown that surgically relieving pressure on compressed nerves addresses the root cause of the pain and reduces nerve compression symptoms.
Who Is a Candidate for Nerve Decompression Surgery?
Are you a suitable candidate for nerve decompression surgery? You may be eligible if:
Your blood sugar is well-controlled (A1C level below 8.5)
Your body mass index (BMI) is below 50
You have good blood circulation (no vascular blockages detected during examination or imaging)
You have no health conditions preventing you from tolerating anesthesia
After surgery, patients often report significant improvements in pain levels and quality of life.
What Happens During Diabetic Neuropathy Surgery?
The Dellon Technique: Triple Nerve Decompression for Diabetic Neuropathy
The Dellon Technique is a surgical method designed to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy. This approach is based on the concept that metabolic neuropathy caused by diabetes makes peripheral nerves more susceptible to chronic compression, worsening symptoms.
Which Nerves Are Decompressed in the Dellon Technique?
Triple Nerve Decompression: This surgery involves decompressing multiple peripheral nerves at specific anatomical locations:
At the knee level: Common peroneal nerve
On the top of the foot: Deep peroneal nerve
On the inner ankle: Tibial nerve and its branches
The Rationale Behind Triple Nerve Decompression: Diabetes causes structural changes in nerves, making them more vulnerable to compression, which increases neuropathic pain, sensory loss, ulcer risk, and the likelihood of amputation.
Surgery aims to:
Relieve neuropathic pain
Restore sensation
Prevent foot ulcers and amputations
Who Benefits from the Dellon Technique?
Patients with burning, numbness, or sharp pain in their feet
Positive Tinel's sign in anatomical regions prone to nerve compression
No history of ulcers or amputations in the affected limb
Good blood circulation to ensure proper healing
Evidence Supporting the Effectiveness of the Dellon Technique
Pain Reduction and Sensory Improvement: Studies show that Dellon decompression surgery provides pain reduction (improvement on the VAS scale) and sensory recovery in up to 80% of patients (Liao et al., 2014).
Prevention of Ulcers and Amputations: Patients who underwent bilateral decompression showed a significant reduction in ulcers and amputations compared to untreated limbs (Dellon, 2007).
Improved Nerve Function: Post-surgery results revealed increased nerve conduction velocity and improved cross-sectional area of compressed nerves in imaging studies (Zhang et al., 2013).
The Dellon Technique offers a promising surgical intervention for diabetic neuropathy patients by decompressing pressure-sensitive nerves, alleviating pain, restoring sensation, and preventing complications.
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