Effectiveness of transverse tibial bone transport in treatment of diabetic foot ulcer

Abstract

To evaluate the effectiveness of transverse tibial bone transport in treatment of diabetic foot ulcer. Between June 2014 and December 2017, 17 patients with diabetic foot ulcer were treated. There were 11 males and 6 females, with a median age of 57 years (range, 46-72 years). The duration of diabetes was 2.4-32.0 years (mean, 16.0 years). According to the Wagner grading criteria, 7 cases were rated as grade 2, 8 cases as grade 3, and 2 cases as grade 4. The CT angiography (CTA) showed the arterial occlusion or stenosis of varying degrees below knee joint. All cases were treated with transverse tibial bone transport. Bone transport started at 3 to 5 days after placing external fixator and lasted 14 days (1 mm per day), and then reverse transport started. The total transport time was 28-30 days. All 17 patients were followed up 5-12 months (mean, 8.5 months). During transportation, 4 cases had screw orifice infection, and 3 cases had liquefaction and seepage. And other 15 cases ulcers healed and the healing time was 35-72 days (mean, 48 days). There were significant differences in visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, skin temperature, ankle brachial index (ABI) between before and after ulcer healed ( P<0.05). The CTA showed that the collateral circulation was established. The foot ulcer of 2 cases (Wagener grade 3 in 1 case and grade 4 in 1 case) still progressed after treatment, and amputation was performed. Transverse tibial bone transports has good effectiveness for diabetic foot ulcer.