Management of diabetic ulcers of the dorsum of the foot and distal leg ulcers.

OBJECTIVE

Diabetic foot ulceration of toes, forefoot and heel have been extensively studied; however, the dorsum of the foot and the distal leg have rarely been addressed. The objective of this study was to assess diabetic ulcers of the dorsum of the foot and of the distal leg (DUDFDLs) as primary sites, or extended lesions from other foot locations, with regard to possible causes, management and outcomes.

METHOD

This was a retrospective study conducted in Jabir Abu Eliz Diabetic Centre (JADC) in Khartoum from January 2018 to August 2019. All patients with a primary DUDFDL, or one extending from a plantar or heel ulcer, were included.

RESULTS

A cohort of 102 patients with DUDFDLs were studied; 74 (72.5%) were male and 28 (27.5%) were female, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.6:1, and a mean age of 57±12 years. The ulcer was a primary DUDFDL in 38 patients and a secondary ulcer in 64 patients. The outcome in 38 patients with primary DUDFDL was healing without amputation in 26 cases (68.4%), amputation of toes in 12 cases (31.6%), and no major amputation or death. Of the 64 patients presenting with secondary DUDFDL extending from the plantar surface, there was extension to the dorsum of the foot through the forefoot ulcer in 54 patients and through the ankle joint to the distal leg in 10 patients. For the plantar ulcers extending to the dorsum, five cases healed without amputation (9.3%), minor amputation was necessary in 29 cases (53.7%), major amputation in 14 cases (25.9%) and six patients died (11.1%). For the distal leg ulcers with extension through the ankle joint, five healed without amputation and five required minor amputation.

CONCLUSION

Primary DUDFDLs had a favourable outcome. Dorsum extension of diabetic foot ulcer from the plantar aspect of the foot carries a high risk for major limb amputation and death.