COMPARATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF TREATMENT RESULTS USING THE OFFLOADING MEANS IN PATIENTS WITH PURULENT-NECROTIC COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETIC FOOT SYNDROME

Abstract

The aim: To conduct a comparative analysis of clinical data, laboratory results, and pain intensity in patients using developed by us device for offloading the foot and plaster splint during inpatient treatment of purulent-necrotic complications of diabetic foot syndrome. Materials and methods: We examined 76 patients with purulent-necrotic complications of diabetic foot syndrome, who used a plaster splint and a device for offloading the foot. We evaluated the clinical indicators of the healing process, laboratory data and pain intensity. Results: Comparing the results of using the device for offloading the foot and the plaster splint showed that the developed by us device had a positive effect on the dynamics of the healing process: the edema disappeared on average 1.5 days earlier; the redness vanished on average 2.5 days earlier. We observed granulation and epithelialization significantly earlier (p <0.05) than in the group where the plaster splint was used. The number of recorded surgical interventions was statistically significant and less (p <0.05) in the group where our device was used. Low pain rates were in patients using a device for offloading the foot due to minimal contact of the wound surface with the floor. Conclusions: According to the results of comparative using the device for offloading the foot and plaster splint, we found out that using the device for offloading the foot allows creating statistically significant better conditions to accelerate wound healing in patients and reduce the duration of inpatient treatment.