The inaugural Paul Brand Memorial Lecture will be on Friday, Dec. 3 during the 20th anniversary of the The Diabetic Foot Update. This year’s conference “The Diabetic Foot Update 2004: A Multidisciplinary Approach” will run from Dec. 2 to 5 at the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel.
Dr. Brand taught surgery at the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore and became the first surgeon in the world to use reconstructive surgery to correct the deformities from leprosy in the hands and feet. During World War II he developed surgical techniques to treat the deformities of the extremities of leprosy patients. He was later able to use these same techniques in the treatment of patients with diabetes. The common component of neuropathy made the needs of the patients with leprosy and diabetes similar.
The lecture is planned to become an annual event at the conference. One of the last lectures given by Dr. Brand before his death in August 2003, was at the 2002 Diabetic Foot Update sponsored by the Health Science Center.
Lawrence B. Harkless, D.P.M., professor in the department of orthopaedics and conference course director, will present “Is the Wound Infected? Inflammation Versus Infection,” at the conference. Dr. Harkless will also serve on two clinical case presentations and discussions at the conference.
Dr. Harkless is a member of the American Diabetes Association, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the International Diabetes Foundation, the National Podiatric Medical Association and the Texas Podiatric Medical Association.
In 2003 his name was included on the Wall of Honor at the Texas Diabetes Institute and he also received the Roger Pecoraro Lecture Award from the American Diabetes Association. In 2002 he was included in the “150 Most Influential Podiatrists” in Podiatry Management magazine and he also received the Lifetime Achievement Award and a place in the Podiatry Hall of Fame from Podiatry Management magazine.
His research interests include the epidemiology of diabetes related amputations in minorities, the risk factors for lower extremity complications in diabetes, footwear and insoles to prevent reulceration in high risk diabetics and problem wounds in diabetes.
For more information on The Diabetic Foot Update conference call (210) 567-6503 or visit
www.diabeticfoot.org. The registration deadline for the conference is Nov. 22.
