Diabetic Wound Management
Diabetic wound management
Diabetic foot is
an umbrella term for foot problems in patients with diabetes
mellitus. Due to arterial abnormalities
and diabetic
neuropathy, as well as a tendency to delayed wound
healing, infectionor gangrene of
the foot is relatively common. Ten to fifteen percent of
diabetic patients develop foot ulcers at some point in
their lives and foot related problems are responsible
for up to 50% of diabetes related hospital admissions.
Diabetic foot ulcer is
one of the major complications of Diabetes
mellitus. It occurs in 15% of all patients with diabetes
and precedes 84% of all lower leg amputations..
Major increase in mortality among diabetic patients,
observed over the past 20 years is considered to be due
to the development of macro and micro vascular
complications, including failure of the wound
healing process.
·
With damage
to the nervous system, a person with diabetes may not be
able to feel his or her feet properly. Normal sweat
secretion and oil production that lubricates the skin of
the foot is impaired. These factors together can lead to
abnormal pressure on the skin, bones, and joints of the
foot during walking and can lead to breakdown of the
skin of the foot. Sores may develop.
· Damage to blood vessels and impairment of the immune system from diabetes make it difficult to heal these wounds. Bacterial infection of the skin, connective tissues, muscles, and bones can then occur. These infections can develop into gangrene. Because of the poor blood flow, antibiotics cannot get to the site of the infection easily. Often, the only treatment for this isamputation of the foot or leg. If the infection spreads to the bloodstream, this process can be life-threatening.
Self care at home
- A person with diabetes should check his feet at home and other thing which you should do
- Foot examination
- Avoid getting injury
- Exercise
- Proper cushioned shoes
- Avoid smoking
- Diabetic diet and control
- Trimming of the nails properly.
When should you contact Surgeon?
If you develop following signs and symptoms , you should see a surgeon.
- Injury to leg or foot
- Constant pain in legs , feet
- wound, ulcer, blister
- New area of warmness , redness
- constant numbness
- Itching
- Difficulty in walking
- Painful walking
- Corn
- callous
