Diabetic Foot Management : A 10-Year Study

Abstract EN

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.