Meningococcal septicaemia with four limb amputation: is life worth saving?

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of the leading complications of type-2 diabetes mellitus. It isassociated with neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease of the lower limb in patients with diabetes. Basically, there are four stages of wound healing namely hemostasis phase, inflammatory phase, proliferative phase and maturation phase. In case of DFU, all these stages are disturbed which lead to delay in healing and consequently to lower limb amputation. Traditionally the dosage forms like tablets, creams, ointments, gels and capsules have been used for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer from many years. Introduction: In this review the global prevalence as well as etiopathogenesis related to diabetic foot ulcer has been discussed. Potential role of various synthetic and herbal drugs as well as their conventional dosage form for the effective management of diabetes foot ulcer has been highlighted. Methods: Structured search of bibliographic databases for previously published peer-reviewed research papers was explored and data was culminated in terms of various approaches that are used for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer. Results: About 142 papers including both, research and review articles, were included in this review in order to produce a comprehensive as well as readily understandable article. A series of herbal and synthetic drugs have been discussed along with their current status of treatment in terms of dose and mechanism of action. Conclusion: DFU has become one of the most common complications in patients having more than ten years of diabetes. Hence, understanding the root cause and its successful treatment is a big challenge because it depends upon multiple factors such as judicious selection of drug as well as proper control of blood sugar level. Most of the drugs that have been used so far either belong to the category of antibiotics, antihyperglycaemics or, they have been repositioned. Moreover, in clinical practice, much focus has been given towards dressings that have been used to cover the ulcer. The complete treatment of DFU is still a farfetched dream to be achieved and it is expected that a combination therapy of herbal and synthetic drug with multiple treatment pathway could be able to overcome the disease.

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What Is Currently the Role of TcPO2 in the Choice of the Amputation Level of Lower Limbs? A Comprehensive Review

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10071413 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1413

Author(s):

Judith Catella ◽

Anne Long ◽

Lucia Mazzolai

Keyword(s):

Arterial Disease ◽

Major Amputation ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Quality Of Data ◽

Amputation Level ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Transcutaneous Oximetry ◽

Peripheral Arterial

Some patients still require major amputation for lower extremity peripheral arterial disease treatment. The purpose of pre-operative amputation level selection is to determine the most distal amputation site with the highest healing probability without re-amputation. Transcutaneous oximetry (TcPO2) can detect viable tissue with the highest probability of healing. Several factors affect the accuracy of TcPO2; nevertheless, surgeons rely on TcPO2 values to determine the optimal amputation level. Background about the development of TcPO2, methods of measurement, consequences of lower limb amputation level, and the place of TcPO2 in the choice of the amputation level are reviewed herein. Most of the retrospective studies indicated that calf TcPO2 values greater than 40 mmHg were associated with a high percentage of successful wound healing after below-knee-amputation, whereas values lower than 20 mmHg indicated an increased risk of unsuccessful healing. However, a consensus on the precise cut-off value of TcPO2 necessary to assure healing is missing. Ways of improvement for TcPO2 performance applied to the optimization of the amputation-level are reported herein. Further prospective data are needed to better approach a TcPO2 value that will promise an acceptable risk of re-amputation. Standardized TcPO2 measurement is crucial to ensure quality of data.

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Bacterial Diversity, Antibiotic Resistance, and the Risk of Lower Limb Amputation in Younger and Older Individuals With Diabetic Foot Infection

The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds ◽

10.1177/1534734621992290 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 153473462199229

Author(s):

Stefan Dörr ◽

Ann-Kathrin Holland-Letz ◽

Gregor Weisser ◽

Apostolos Chatzitomaris ◽

Ralf Lobmann

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Diversity ◽

Diabetic Foot ◽

Care Center ◽

Bacterial Load ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Foot Care ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Diabetic Foot Infection

Introduction A diabetic foot infection (DFI) contributes to high mortality and morbidity in diabetics due to its often rapid progressive and intricately treatable infection. DFIs are usually a polymicrobial infection and characterizing the entire bacterial load is still challenging. Prompt and effective treatment of DFI is nevertheless mandatory to safe limbs and lives. It is therefore crucial to know the local pathogen spectrum and its antibiotic susceptibility. Methods and Material For a 12-month period, we investigated 353 individuals with infected diabetic foot ulcer, their bacterial diversity, and antimicrobial susceptibility at fist-time visit in a Diabetic Foot Care Center in southern Germany. Results Cultures yielded 888 species, most of them gram-positive cocci (primary Staphylococcus aureus). The gram-negative sector was mainly formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriacae. Because the prevalence of multiresistant species was surprisingly low (0.9% of isolated strains), we suggest penicillins with β-lactamase inhibitor in case of gram-positive–dominated infection or piperacillin/tazobactam or rather carbapenems with equal efficacy when gram-negative species are involved.

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Aerobic fitness is a potential crucial factor in protecting paralympic athletes with locomotor impairments from atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk

Sport Sciences for Health ◽

10.1007/s11332-020-00698-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Marco Bernardi ◽

Silvio Romano ◽

Maria Rosaria Squeo ◽

Emanuele Guerra ◽

Paolo Emilio Adami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Aerobic Fitness ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Cord Injury ◽

Sport Type ◽

Locomotor Impairment ◽

Prevalence Of Obesity

Abstract Purpose To test the hypothesis that aerobic fitness is inversely related to the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD) in athletes with locomotor impairments deriving from health conditions, such as spinal cord injury (SCI), lower limb amputation, cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, and other health conditions different from the previous ones. Methods A total of 68 male athletes who competed in either summer or winter Paralympic games were divided in two health conditions groups (35 with SCI, mean age 37.2 ± 8.0 years, and 33 with different health conditions, mean age 37.8 ± 9.9 years) and in four sport type groups (skill, power, intermittent—mixed metabolism—and endurance). They were evaluated through anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, laboratory blood tests, and graded cardiopulmonary maximal arm cranking exercise test, with oxygen uptake peak (VO2peak) measurement. Cardiovascular risk profile was assessed in each athlete. Results The prevalence of ACVD-risk factors in the overall population was 20.6% for hypertension; 47% and 55.9% for high values of total and LDL cholesterol, respectively; 22.1% for reduce glucose tolerance; and 8.8% for obesity. No difference was found between athletes with and without SCI, while the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher in those practicing skill sports (22.7%, p = 0.035), which was the sport type group with Paralympic athletes with the lowest VO2peak (22.5 ± 5.70 ml kg−1 min−1). VO2peak was lower in athletes with SCI than those with different health conditions (28.6 ± 10.0 vs 33.6 ± 8.9 ml kg−1 min−1p = 0.03), and in those with 3–4 risk factors (19.09 ± 5.34 ml kg−1 min−1) than those with 2 risk factors (27.1 ± 5.50 ml kg−1 min−1), 1 risk factor (31.6 ± 8.55 ml kg−1 min−1), or none (36.4 ± 8.76 ml kg−1 min−1) (p < 0.001). Conclusions The present study suggests that having higher VO2peak seems to offer greater protection against ACVD in individuals with a locomotor impairment. Prescribing physical exercise at an intensity similar to that of endurance and intermittent sports should become a fundamental tool to promote health among people with a locomotor impairment.

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Clinical profiles of diabetic foot ulcer patients undergoing major limb amputation at a tertiary care center in North-eastern Tanzania

BMC Surgery ◽

10.1186/s12893-021-01051-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ahmed Shabhay ◽

Pius Horumpende ◽

Zarina Shabhay ◽

Andrew Mganga ◽

Jeff Van Baal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Glucose ◽

Diabetic Foot ◽

Care Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Limb Amputation ◽

Foot Ulcers ◽

Diabetic Foot Ulcers ◽

Random Blood Glucose ◽

North Eastern ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background Diabetic foot ulcers complications are the major cause of non-traumatic major limb amputation. We aimed at assessing the clinical profiles of diabetic foot ulcer patients undergoing major limb amputation in the Surgical Department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), a tertiary care hospital in North-eastern Tanzania. Methods A cross—sectional hospital-based study was conducted from September 2018 through March 2019. Demographic data were obtained from structured questionnaires. Diabetic foot ulcers were graded according to the Meggitt-Wagner classification system. Hemoglobin and random blood glucose levels data were retrieved from patients’ files. Results A total of 60 patients were recruited in the study. More than half (31/60; 51.67%) were amputated. Thirty-five (58.33%) were males. Fifty-nine (98.33%) had type II diabetes. Nearly two-thirds (34/60; 56.67%) had duration of diabetes for more than 5 years. The mean age was 60.06 ± 11.33 years (range 30–87). The mean haemoglobin level was 10.20 ± 2.73 g/dl and 9.84 ± 2.69 g/dl among amputees. Nearly two thirds (42/60; 70.00%) had a haemoglobin level below 12 g/dl, with more than a half (23/42; 54.76%) undergoing major limb amputation. Two thirds (23/31; 74.19%) of all patients who underwent major limb amputation had mean hemoglobin level below 12 g/dl. The mean Random Blood Glucose (MRBG) was 13.18 ± 6.17 mmol/L and 14.16 ± 6.10 mmol/L for amputees. Almost two thirds of the study population i.e., 42/60(70.00%) had poor glycemic control with random blood glucose level above 10.0 mmol/L. More than half 23/42 (54.76%) of the patients with poor glycemic control underwent some form of major limb amputation; which is nearly two thirds (23/31; 74.19%) of the total amputees. Twenty-eight (46.67%) had Meggitt-Wagner classification grade 3, of which nearly two thirds (17:60.71%) underwent major limb amputation. Conclusion In this study, the cohort of patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers treated in a tertiary care center in north-eastern Tanzania, the likelihood of amputation significantly correlated with the initial grade of the Meggit-Wagner ulcer classification. High blood glucose levels and anaemia seem to be also important risk factors but correlation did not reveal statistical significance.

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