Morbidity of diabetic foot patients admitted for surgery at the Hospital Universitario Dr. Alfredo Van Grieken

Abstract

Objectives: To present morbidity of diabetics foot patients admitted at the Surgery Service of the Hospital Alfredo Van Grieken, in a five years period between January 2000 and December 2004. Patients and method: A retrospective, descriptive and longitudinal clinical study, where we reviewed the clinical records of the patients, analyzing dates such as age, gender, address, admission and discharge diagnosis, hospital stay, type of injury, treatment and outcome. Results: It were studied 83 clinical records of diabetic foot patients finding 47 males (56,6%) and 36 (43,33 %) females. The most frequent age group was 61-67 years old group (27,7%). All patients were type II diabetics, with a hospital stay between 0 and 15 days. According to Wagner Scale, grade IV was predominant with 45 patients (54,2 %) and left foot was most affected with 46 cases (55,4 %). Ulcers were localized at fingers (54,2 %)  followed by plantar zone and legs (12,04 %). Surgical treatments were major amputation 46,96 %, minor amputation 33,72 % and surgical debridement 9,62 %. Conclusions: Diabetic foot is a complication that we must
know and attend early because it produces a longer hospital stay and more expensive costs. With a good ambulatory care of these patients we could reduce the admissions at our centers