Diabetic Foot Management; A 10-Year Study.‎

Abstract

The medical records of 324 diabetic patients admitted to Al-Sader Teaching Hospital (Saddam Teaching ‎Hospital previously) with foot lesions between April 1994 and April 2004 were studied retrospectively. ‎Data were collected for various parameters, both personal and medical. The majority of patients were ‎males, over fifty years of age and known diabetics. Peripheral neuropathy was the main predisposing ‎factor while infected ulcer and gangrene of toe / toes were the most common forms of presentation. ‎Wound swabs were positive for bacterial culture in 215 pts. (66.3%), 97.2% of which were polymicrobial. ‎Dibridement was the most common surgical procedure. There were 6 deaths (1.85%) in the study group ‎mainly due to uncontrolled sepsis with concurrent medical illnesses. It is concluded that foot ‎complication is a common problem in elderly Iraqi diabetics, particularly males, peripheral neuropathy is ‎the most common predisposing factor, foot infections are usually poly microbial and that the majority ‎will need some form of surgical intervention that is mostly conservative rather than a major amputation. ‎We suggest a team approach in the care for these patients which can be provided by establishing foot ‎care clinic in large hospital. ‎