[Cutaneous sensibility threshold in the feet of diabetic patients with pressure specified sensory device: an assessment of the neuropathy].

Objectives: Neuropathy is a severe progressive loss of protective sensation in the feet, increasing patient vulnerability to mechanical trauma and consequently more prone to development of chronic wounds, major distortion of the foot bone architecture and to eventual limb amputation. Prophylaxis should be enforced to avoid foot ulceration and for this purpose, evaluation of the degree of loss of sensation on the skin is essential. The PSSD (Pressure Specified Sensory Device) was developed to quantify the threshold of pressure applied to the skin that the patient might recognize as positive.