Successful Repair of Diabetic Foot Ulcer with Honey-Based Treatment: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: As a common diabetic complication, foot ulcers may cause a huge burden both on the patient and healthcare system. The current study aims at investigating the effectiveness of honey dressing in the presence or absence of olive oil in diabetic foot ulcer. Case Presentation: The study attempted to report a 70-year-old female with the history of diabetes undergoing high doses of oral antidiabetes drugs (OADs). Following a car accident, she developed a neuropathic ulcer categorized as Wagner grade-II. The case was admitted in Imam Reza General hospital, Mashhad, Iran in August 2014. A combined regimen of cephalexin, cefixime and anti-inflammatory drugs was started after hospitalization. Since granulation formation and tissue repair did not occur, honey dressing with and without olive oil was used to repair the ulcer. The whole treatment period lasted a month. Conclusions: To sum up, honey dressing with and without olive oil could successfully prevent the risk of amputation in case of diabetic foot ulcers.