Abstract
Osteomyelitis of the diabetic foot remains a significant complication that may result in the need for amputation. Proximal surgical margin histopathology after limb-sparing amputation could be used to guide antimicrobial duration and prognostic management but remains debatable. Here we evaluate if negative proximal bone margins predict outcomes of diabetic foot osteomyelitis at 1 year. A retrospective study assessed adults with diabetes undergoing limb-sparing foot amputations from September 2016 to September 2019. Patients required histopathology confirmation of osteomyelitis, proximal margin histopathology report, and documented electronic medical record follow-up through 12 months. The primary outcome evaluated if no further amputation at the same site was required in the following 12 months. Of 92 patients, 57 (61.9%) had pathology-confirmed negative margins for osteomyelitis. Patients with negative margins required less frequent subsequent amputations at the same site within 12 months compared to positive margins (86.0% vs 65.7%; P = .003). Antibiotic duration was shorter in patients with negative margins (mean, 18 vs 30 days; P = .001). Negative-margin patients also noted lower rates of readmission at 12 months (26.3% vs 51.4%; P = .015) for site-specific complications. Staphylococcus aureus was more predominant in patients with positive versus negative margins (57.1% vs 29.8%; P = .017). Negative proximal bone margin by histopathology was associated with lower frequency of further amputations at the index surgical site within 12 months. This group also received shorter courses of antibiotic therapy. It was also associated with lower rates of readmission at 12 months for surgical-site complications. Proximal margin histopathology results potentially can be integrated to guide antimicrobial duration and decrease the frequency of further amputation at the original site.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
