What can we do for faster recovery of diabetic foot ulcer?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. From the pictures, it is a clearly indicative of diabetic foot ulceration (attachment removed to protect patient identity).

• Since she has uncontrolled diabetes, the nerves and blood vessels to the foot have been affected and have become ulcerated. The depth of the wound is large and it would take some time to heal. Extensive debriding (removal of yellow colored dead tissues) from the wound should be done twice a day and dressing should be done.

• This must be the management for the first week. Intravenous antibiotics should be given, pus must be taken and given to the lab for culture and sensitivity (to know which bacteria is present and which drugs will work). Then appropriate antibiotics should be given along with twice daily dressing.

• The yellow slough should disappear slowly and red colour tissue should appear (only then it is healing).

• Do not discharge her now itself, since there is a chance that the underlying bone can also be affected if necessary care is not given (osteomyelitis). So, my advice is to make her stay in the hospital for one week. They will control infection by antibiotics and control blood sugar using insulin. Once red tissue appears, she can be discharged.

• For the next week take her to nearby doctor for dressing twice or once daily. She has to continue insulin until the wound heals completely. She also has to take antibiotics for the next week also.

• After that, you please learn how to do dressing and do dressing at home twice a day. The wound will heal slowly only, since her blood vessels and nerves are damaged due to diabetes.