• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.66-70
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• 2022

Purpose: A group of patients who were hospitalized for diabetic foot ulcers was classified according to the University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers, and we attempted to evaluate whether this staging system could be a criterion for treatment success using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 patients were diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers according to the University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers. Of these, 24 patients who were evaluated as stage B according to the staging system were classified as Group 1, and 8 patients in stage D were classified as Group 2. After applying VAC, the treatment success rate was compared by evaluating the size and severity of ulcers between the two groups. Results: The grade of granulation after VAC was on average 3.75±0.53 in Group 1 and 2.25±0.71 in Group 2. There was better granulation after VAC application in Group 1 (p<0.01). The success rate of the treatment was 22 cases (91.67%) in Group 1 and one case (12.5%) in Group 2. Thus there were statistically significant differences in the success rate of treatment between groups 1 and 2 (Pearson's chisquare test, p=0.01; odd ratio 77.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26~14.66; relative risk 4.30, 95% CI 1.26~14.66). Conclusion: These results suggest that there was a higher success rate of treatment with VAC in stage B patients. The University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers can thus be an index for applying VAC to patients with infective diabetic foot ulcers.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.223-233
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review the contents and effectiveness of education programs for preventing diabetic foot ulcer among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Korea. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched using search terms, and 748 articles were identified. Ten articles were eligible based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Article quality was evaluated using a critical evaluation checklist for manuscripts before performing the systematic review. Results: Although education programs for preventing diabetic foot ulcers have been continuously studied for 20 years, the number of studies is small, and to our knowledge, there have been no studies reporting on the subsequent prevalence of foot ulcers or amputations. While the effect of these education programs on knowledge (ES=1.23) and self-management behavior (ES=.96) was shown to be statistically significant, it was not shown to be significant in preventing diabetic foot ulcers (ES=.03). Conclusion: The actual preventive effect on the prevalence of foot ulcers, through education programs for preventing diabetic foot ulcer could not be determined. Our findings highlight a potential need for studies aimed at developing effective programs to improve education on preventing diabetic foot ulcers.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 2002

Diabetes is a controllable disease, not a curable disease. If Diabetic patients do not regularly monitor themselves, they run risk of diabetic complications that cannot be reversed or treated. Especially, if the patients have high blood suger level, a cardiovascular disease, or poor blood circulation, there immune system will not function, and thus making the patient more susceptible to infection. Eventually, the patient will have to undergo amputation. The case is a report about a Diabetic patient with foot ulcers. The patient was treated by Taeumin Bopyewontang and the foot ulcers were improved.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.3-5
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• 2000

Of 16 million diabetic patients in the USA, 2.4 millions have experienced diabetic foot ulcer and 67,000 have amputations every year. For treatment of diabetic foot ulcer, Americans spend more than $1 billion each year, including $36,000 per patient for complete treatment and $60,000 for each amputation. Neuropathy and ischemia, two common complications of diabetes mellitus, are the primary underlying risk factors for development of diabetic foot ulcers. Ischemic ulcers develop as a result of low perfusion pressure in the foot with inadequate blood supply, whereas neuropathic ulcers develop from loss of protective sensation. In addition, diabetes also increases the risk of infection by impairing the body's ability to eliminate bacteria. From these circumstances, results are chronic wounds with impaired healing ability.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.151-155
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• 2018

Purpose: Toe ulcers have been implicated as a causative factor in diabetic foot amputation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of percutaneous needle flexor tenotomies of diabetic claw toes with ulcers or pending ulcers. Materials and Methods: The authors undertook a retrospective chart review between January 2014 and June 2016 to identify those patients who underwent a percutaneous needle flexor tenotomy for diabetic claw toe deformities. We evaluated 54 toes in 42 patients. Twenty-four patients were female and the mean age at the time of operation was 57 years. The mean follow-up time was 11 months. Thirty-four patients (46 toes) had tip toe ulcers or pending ulcers and 8 patients (8 toes) had dorsal pending ulcers. All patients had palpable pulses and good capillary refill. Results: Forty-three of 46 tip toe ulcers (93.5%) healed without significant complications and 8 dorsal ulcers showed no specific changes within 5 weeks. There were no recurrent ulcers at final follow-up. Four patients developed transfer lesion of the adjacent toe and needed subsequent tenotomy. Conclusion: Percutaneous needle tenotomy in an outpatient clinic was an effective and safe method for treating toe ulcers in neuropathic patients to offload the tip of the toe so that ulcer healing could occur.

• The Monthly Diabetes
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• s.171
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• pp.70-77
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• 2004

Diabetic Foot Ulcers often pose a difficult problem for health care professionals because of the defects associated with fibroblast functioning. Although there has been much interest recently in the use of topical growth factors for the treatment of diabe

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 1998

The purposes of this article are to review the pathogenesis, prevention, and management of amputation due to diabetes mel1itus complications, and to report one case who had lost his toes due to diabetes mellitus. A primary cause for hospital admission of the patient was foot ulcer. Since many amputations in diabetic patients are precipitated by such ulcers, a program for active prevention and optimal treatment of diabetic foot lesions might decrease the risk of amputation. Diabetic foot ulcers and, ultimately, amputation can stem from a variety of pathways. The combination of peripheral neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease and infections is the harbinger of the final cataclysmic events of gangrene and amputation. As the physical therapist is often involved in the treatment of diabetic patients, the therapist should be aware of the followings: the patient's type of diabetes and the severity of the diabetes, the complications of the disease, the effects of exercise, the importance of wearing proper shoes and education to patients about appropriate diabetic foot care.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.196-206
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was done to use a guideline adaptation process to develop a Korean evidence-based diabetic foot care clinical practice guideline for diabetic foot prevention and management. Methods: The guideline adaptation process was conducted according to the guideline adaptation manual developed by the National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. The process consists of three main phases, with 9 modules including a total of 23 steps. Results: The newly developed diabetic foot care clinical practice guideline consisted of an introduction, description of diabetic foot, summary of recommendations, recommendations, references, appendices, and glossary. There were 165 recommendations in 4 sections (risk assessment for diabetic foot ulcers, prevention of diabetic foot ulcers, wound assessment of diabetic foot ulcers, and management of the diabetic foot). In grading by recommendations, for A there were 30 (18.2%), B, 8 (4.8%), C, 30 (18.2%) D, 97 (58.8%). Conclusion: This guideline can be used as educational material for healthcare workers and diabetic patients. It can also be utilized as a practice guideline for healthcare workers in the hospital and community setting.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.501-506
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• 2008

Purpose: In order to overcome the limitations of the conventional cryopreserved fibroblast or keratinocyte allograft method used in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, we reported a pilot study in 2004 demonstrating promising results of a fresh fibroblast allograft method in eight patients. However, the number of cases was insufficient for full evaluation and the follow-up duration was not long enough to determine the efficacy and safety of the method. This encouraged us to conduct this follow-up study to fully evaluate the use of noncryopreserved fresh human fibroblast allografts in treating diabetic foot ulcers. Methods: Thirty-seven patients with diabetic foot ulcers were treated using fresh fibroblast allografts. Human dermal fibroblasts from healthy teenagers were cultured in DMEM/F-12 medium supplemented with 10% serum. The cultured cells were applied on the wounds immediately following debridement, with fibrin being used as a cell carrier. In eight weeks, percentages of complete healing, mean healing time, and patient satisfactions were assessed, with follow-up time ranging from 6 to 40 months. Results: Our study showed that 83.8% of the treated patients were complete healed. The time required for complete healing was $30.9{\pm}10.1$ days. Patient satisfaction scores for the experimental treatment were higher than those for the conventional method(mean scores of $8.1{\pm}1.1$ and $4.8{\pm}1.4$, respectively). No adverse events related to the study treatment occurred. Conclusion: The use of fresh human fibroblast allografts was found to be a safe and effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to present the clinical analysis of the results of lateral arm free flap for small sized and infected diabetic foot ulcer around toes. From May 2006 to December 2007, Seven patients were included in our study. Average age was 52.8 years, six were males and one was female. All had infected diabetic foot ulcer and had exposures of bone or tendon structures. Ulcers were located around great toe in four patients, 4th toe in one and 5th toe in two. Three patients had osteomyelitis of metatarsal or phalanx. After appropriate control of infection by serial wound debridement and intravenous antibiotics, lateral arm flap was applied to cover remained soft tissue defects. Posterior radial collateral artery of lateral arm flap was reanastomosed to dorsalis pedis artery of recipient foot by end to side technique in all cases in order to preserve already compromised artery of diabetic foot. All flaps were designed over lateral epicondyle to get longer pedicle and averaged pedicle length was 8 cm. Two cases were used as a sensate flap to achieve protective sensation of foot. All flaps survived and provided satisfactory coverage of soft tissue defects on diabetc foot ulcers. All patients could achieve full weight-bearing ambulation. No patients has had recurrence of infection, ulceration and further toe amputations. There were three complications, a delayed wound healing of flap with surrounding tissue, a partial peripheral loss of flap and a numbness of forearm below donor site. All patients were satisfied with their clinical results, especially preserving their toes and could return to the previous activity levels. Lateral arm free flap could be recommend for infected diabetic foot ulcers around toes, to preserve toes, coverage of soft tissue defect and control of infection with low donor site morbidity.