When a patient with neuropathic diabetic gangrene of the foot has sepsis, it is not always necessary to do a below-knee guillotine amputation or a Syme's amputation. In more than six years we have done 18 successful open Lisfranc's and Chopart's amputations. Improved ambulation has been achieved in three months using simple shoe prostheses. All flaps are fashioned immediately and never sutured. No equinus deformities have developed.