Publication:

A retrospective study of management of diabetic foot ulcer in tertiary care hospital in North Karnataka

Background Foot ulcers and amputations are a major cause of morbidity as well as emotional and physical disability for people with diabetes. A cumulative life time incidence of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is as high as fifteen percent making it a leading cause of non-traumatic amputations worldwide. The objective of the study was to assess the outcome of diabetic foot ulcer based on Meggitt-Wagner classification system.

Methods It was a retrospective review of 130 patients with diabetic foot ulcer managed at a tertiary care teaching hospital from January 2010-August 2016 in Bagalkot, North Karnataka, India.

Results In this study most of the patients were in the age group of 51-60 years, most of them being male 85%, 49.23% of patients with ulcers were over the plantar aspect of the foot and 40% of ulcers were Grade 2. 11.53% of patients required disarticulation of toes. 3.07% of patients required below knee amputation and 2.30% of patients require above knee amputations. 42.30% of the patients had peripheral neuropathy and 12.30% of the patients had associated peripheral arterial disease.

Conclusions Even though Meggitt-Wagner classification system is considered Gold Standard it has many disadvantages. The neuropathic changes, charcoats osteoarthropathy and associated vascular pathology has not taken into consideration, hence the outcome of the ulcer cannot be predicted.