A Clinical Study in Surgical Management of Diabetic Foot

Diabetic foot infections range from local fungal infections of the nails to necrotizing limb-or lifethreatening infections. The term diabetic foot infection comprises many different entities that span a continuum of infectious processes. Aim of the present study was to analyze the risk factors leading to complication in diabetic foot infection and to study the outcome of treatment modalities of the diabetic foot.

A total of 150 cases were included in the study. The present study was undertaken with the aim to find out the clinical presentation, management, prevention, aetiology and surgical complications of the infection in the foot of diabetic patients. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS computer software 15.0. Data were expressed in form of proportions and frequency tables for categorical variables.

The diabetic foot was found in the middle aged group persons usually in 4^th and 5^th decade. There were 85 males and 65 females of which 85% of patients belong to low socioeconomic status. 70% patients had symptoms of diabetic foot ulcer, 20% patients had diabetic foot cellulites, 10% of patients presented with gangrene diabetic foot. A total of 45 post operative complications were recorded in 50 patients. The surgical site infection was the most common complications accounting for total of 30 patients.

Surgical management of diabetic foot has changed drastically over a period of time. Now the aim is conservation. Diabetic foot is one of the most difficult infections to treat as it involves systemic diseases, lower resistance, ignorance in part of patients, and poor compliance of long term insulin therapy and fear of surgery in part of patients.