Radical treatment of mal perforans in diabetic patients with arterial insufficiency

Forty patients with diabetes mellitus and severe mal perforans underwent dorsal excision of the involved metatarsal head with primary closure of the plantar ulcer. Patients were screened before operation with noninvasive studies documenting pulse examination, ankle pressure index, and toe blood pressures. Fifteen of 40 patients (38%) had no palpable pedal pulses. Three patients had vascular reconstruction before metatarsal head resection. Mean toe pressure of the entire group was 135 +/- 35 mm Hg (range, 60 to 190), with six patients having a pressure less than 100 mm Hg. All patients had primary healing of the plantar wound and secondary healing of the dorsal incision with no amputations or readmissions for forefoot sepsis in the mean follow-up of 38.5 months (range, 2 to 54 months). In seven patients with recurrent ulcers, no relationship was found between measured indexes of forefoot perfusion and recurrence. However, all patients with recurrence were noncompliant in returning for follow-up orthotic care. This technique provides a means to ensure rapid healing of severe mal perforans while decreasing hospitalization, wound care, and periods of immobilization and is applicable in diabetic patients with arterial insufficiency and toe pressure of at least 60 mm Hg.