[Adjuvant treatment of diabetic foot]

Abstract

A diabetic infected foot with erythema and fluctuation can suspect that the infection has passed the fascial compartmental, a condition that requires surgical drainage. Elective amputation may be considered for patients who have recurrent ulcers, irreversible loss of function or injuries that require long-term treatment in the hospital. If the diabetic infected foot appears ischemic it requires a treatment of revascularization. The outcome of revascularization is related with the extension of the damaged artery. The debridement removes the bacterial colonies, promotes granulation tissue and its reepithelialization, also facilitates the collection of samples for microbiological analyses. This procedure can be performed with the classic sharp instruments or with advanced autolytic dressings, maggots or ultrasonic equipment. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of infected diabetic foot is controversial because studies in this area are few and methodologically questionable. The same conclusion was reached also for the use of growth factors and skin substitutes.