Case series on tropical diabetic hand syndrome

Tropical diabetic hand syndrome is a term used to describe diabetes complication of the hand affecting people in the tropics. It consists of localized cellulitis with variable swelling and ulceration of the hands, progressive, fulminant hand sepsis and gangrene in extreme cases. This syndrome is not well-recognized and is therefore less frequently reported. The authors describe three different female patients who were known diabetics of varying duration presenting with this syndrome at our tertiary health center and who were successfully managed by both the surgical and medical units. The need for early diagnosis and aggressive management is emphasized.