A 40-year-old diabetic man presents with a painless plantar ulcer beneath the first metatarsal head, intact foot pulses, loss of protective sensation (10 g monofilament), and surrounding callus. According to the Wagner classification, this is Grade:

• A Wagner Grade 0
• B Wagner Grade 2
• C Wagner Grade 3
• D Wagner Grade 1 ✓

Explanation

The Wagner classification grades diabetic foot ulcers: Grade 0 = pre-ulcerative lesion (callus, bony prominence); Grade 1 = superficial ulcer not penetrating to tendon, capsule, or bone; Grade 2 = deep ulcer reaching tendon/capsule; Grade 3 = deep ulcer with osteomyelitis/abscess. A painless plantar ulcer limited to skin and subcutaneous tissue without deep structure penetration is Grade 1. Management includes offloading (total contact cast), debridement, and glycaemic control.

Reference: Maheshwari Essential Orthopaedics, 6th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.