For about a quarter of diabetic patients, foot complications—such as ulcers, infections and deformities can pose a threat, with even mild cases leading to amputations.

At the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital, a dedicated Diabetic Foot Clinic caters to affected patients, promoting regular check-ups for early detection and prevention of later-stage complications, as well as conducting complex surgeries for limb preservation and surgical innovation.  

Last March, the Diabetic Foot Clinic was featured in a peer-reviewed academic journal, Heliyon, where a published paper, “Bibliometric analysis of systematic review and meta-analysis on diabetic foot ulcer” placed the LAU clinic fourth globally, the only one from an Arab country to be ranked in the study. The clinic tied for the position with the White Rose University Consortium in the UK, which comprises the University of Leeds, the University of Sheffield and the University of York.

The paper used quantitative methods to examine publication and citation patterns, identifying the 20 most cited meta-analyses and the top five most frequently co-cited references.

“It offers valuable insights into the prominence and impact of different research areas within diabetic foot ulcer research, highlighting key trends and influential publications in the field,” said Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Samer Saab.

Celebrating the feat, Dr. Cesar (Kaissar) Yammine, head of the Diabetic Foot Clinic, declared it “a testament to hard work and collaboration in the effort to enhance patient outcomes in Lebanon, the region and the world and to reduce diabetic limb amputation.” Dr. Yammine is also a clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.

For Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Trauma and Clinical Professor Chahine Assi, “the acknowledgement represents a boost for us to continue striving for excellence in healthcare education, research and delivery.”

LAU Medical Center–RH CEO Sami Rizk noted how this recognition from a prestigious publication “underscores the hospital’s commitment to medical excellence and innovative research.”