Foot care, hygiene and patient education in prevention of injury-related complications of diabetic foot

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex metabolic disorder resulting from tissue resistance to insulin or failure of the pancreas to produce insulin. Complications of DM include, amongst all, foot ulcerations, foot infections. These foot diseases are commonly referred to as a “diabetic foot” and are the leading causes of hospital admissions of patients with DM. Risk factors for foot ulcers include peripheral sensory neuropathy with a subsequent loss of protective sensory function as well as inadequate foot hygiene, minor cuts and injuries. 162 patients with a diagnosis of diabetic foot were admitted to the surgery department of the Canton Hospital in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina between January 2010 and January 2012. All patients were treated surgically and received extensive education on foot hygiene, foot inspection and foot care. Using of appropriate footwear and basic principles of foot wound dressing were presented as well. Type, severity and rate of complications were monitored on 7th, 14th and 30th day following discharge from the hospital. The rate of complications in patients enrolled in our program (mean age 51, range 39-73, Male-56.2%. 16.6 % discharged with limb amputation) was reduced by 80 % compared to the group of newly admitted patients (patient who weren't included in our program. Over 70% of patients, who were included in our program, did not return with new complications after the follow-up was over). During the last year of research 87% of hospitalized patient weren't part of our program. These results suggest opportunities for prevention of diabetic foot