Limb salvage in diabetics with foot ulcers

The healing results in 491 ulcers in 272 diabetic patients are reported. Soft moulded insoles and shoe corrections were the main part of the therapy. There were 329 (67%) neuropathic, 87 (17%) traumatic, 44 (9%) ischaemic and 31 (6%) ulcers of other various pathogenesis. Thirty seven per cent of the ulcers were complicated with invasive infection. Within the period of observation of 18 months (3-39 months) healing was obtained in 79% of the patients (88% of the ulcers) and major amputation was carried out in 8% (4% of the ulcers). There were 21 major amputations, which in 18 cases was due to ischaemia. Thus in only 3 cases (1% of the patients) neuropathy as complicated by invasive infection caused major amputation. Fifty nine ulcers (12%) were classified as relapsing ulcers or ulcers with new localizations and were caused by severe deformity of the foot (58 cases) often in combination with neglect of prophylaxis (7 cases). Only one recurrent ulcer was caused by ischaemia. The series shows that shoe corrections and insoles are effective in treating diabetic neuropathic ulcers. Recurrent ulcerations are caused by severe foot deformity and neglect of therapy. Loss of limbs is caused by ischaemia and invasive infection.