Thermal burns in diabetic feet

Abstract

Many patients with diabetes can lead a full life without developing diabetic lesions in their feet. This is because these patients have avoided the precipitating factors of which the most important is mechanical trauma and infections. We present five cases of diabetic patients who, out of ignorance, listened to bad advice by using hot therapy to treat their peripheral neuropathy. This resulted in burns and secondary infections. All of them required large surgical debridement and prolonged costly hospital stay to treat their condition. Fortunately, none of them required amputation. This paper hopes to highlight the dangers of self treatment and medication in diabetic foot lesions.