scholarly journals Robust Edge Detection Method for Segmentation of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Images

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 6034-6040
Author(s):  
R. H. Mwawado ◽  
B. J. Maiseli ◽  
M. A. Dida

Segmentation is an open-ended research problem in various computer vision and image processing tasks. This pre-processing operation requires a robust edge detector to generate appealing results. However, the available approaches for edge detection underperform when applied to images corrupted by noise or impacted by poor imaging conditions. The problem becomes significant for images containing diabetic foot ulcers, which originate from people with varied skin color. Comparative performance evaluation of the edge detectors facilitates the process of deciding an appropriate method for image segmentation of diabetic foot ulcers. Our research discovered that the classical edge detectors cannot clearly locate ulcers in images with black-skin feet. In addition, these methods collapse for degraded input images. Therefore, the current research proposes a robust edge detector that can address some limitations of the previous attempts. The proposed method incorporates a hybrid diffusion-steered functional derived from the total variation and the Perona-Malik diffusivities, which have been reported to can effectively capture semantic features in images. The empirical results show that our method generates clearer and stronger edge maps with higher perceptual and objective qualities. More importantly, the proposed method offers lower computational times—an advantage that gives more insights into the possible application of the method in time-sensitive tasks.

2021 ◽  
pp. 193229682199009
Author(s):  
Brian M. Schmidt

One of the most prevalent complications of diabetes mellitus are diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Diabetic foot ulcers represent a complex condition placing individuals at-risk for major lower extremity amputations and are an independent predictor of patient mortality. DFU heal poorly when standard of care therapy is applied. In fact, wound healing occurs only approximately 30% within 12 weeks and only 45% regardless of time when standard of care is utilized. Similarly, diabetic foot infections occur in half of all DFU and conventional microbiologic cultures can take several days to process before a result is known. DFU represent a significant challenge in this regard because DFU often demonstrate polymicrobial growth, become resistant to preferred antibiotic therapy, and do not inform providers about long-term prognosis. In addition, conventional culture yields may be affected by the timing of antibiotic administration and collection of tissue for analysis. This may lead to suboptimal antibiotic administration or debilitating amputations. The microbiome of DFU is a new frontier to better understand the interactions between host organisms and pathogenic ones. Newer molecular techniques are readily available to assist in analyzing the constituency of the microbiome of DFU. These emerging techniques have already been used to study the microbiome of DFU and have clinical implications that may alter standard of care practice in the near future. Here emerging molecular techniques that can provide clinicians with rapid DFU-related-information and help prognosticate outcomes in this vulnerable patient population are presented.


Author(s):  
Marta Carmena-Pantoja ◽  
Francisco Javier Álvaro-Afonso ◽  
Esther García-Morales ◽  
Yolanda García-Álvarez ◽  
Aroa Tardáguila-García ◽  
...  

The aim of our study was to analyze the influence of radiographic arterial calcification (RAC) on clinical outcomes and wound healing in patients with diabetic foot ulcers complicated by osteomyelitis treated by surgery. We analyzed retrospectively the clinical records of 102 patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis who underwent surgery at a specialized diabetic foot unit between January 2014 and December 2016. The clinical data of evolution until its complete epithelialization and a follow-up 1 year were reviewed, and after reviewing the radiological images, patients were classified into 2 groups: those with RAC and those without RAC. We analyzed several clinical features in both groups. The presence of RAC was associated with a greater time of healing (10.68 ± 7.24 vs 8.11 ± 4.50 weeks; P = .029) and shorter time to recurrence and reulceration (13.30 ± 9.25 vs 18.81 ± 11.63 weeks; P = .036). However, this association was not found for patients with mild and moderate peripheral artery disease (PAD), whose time of healing was 8.97 ± 4.51 weeks compared to 9.16 ± 6.39 weeks for patients without PAD; P = .864. The time of healing of diabetic foot ulcers complicated by osteomyelitis treated by surgery can be negatively affected by the presence of RAC even more than by the presence of mild and moderate ischemia. The presence of RAC may offer clinical guidance at the level of primary care though this would need thorough validation in future studies.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 937
Author(s):  
Ramzy B. Anafo ◽  
Yacoba Atiase ◽  
Nicholas T. K. D. Dayie ◽  
Fleischer C. N. Kotey ◽  
Patience B. Tetteh-Quarcoo ◽  
...  

Aim: This study investigated the spectrum of bacteria infecting the ulcers of individuals with diabetes at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana, focusing on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), with respect to their prevalence, factors predisposing to their infection of the ulcers, and antimicrobial resistance patterns. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at The Ulcer Clinic, Department of Surgery, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, involving 100 diabetic foot ulcer patients. The ulcer of each study participant was swabbed and cultured bacteriologically, following standard procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done for all S. aureus isolated, using the Kirby-Bauer method. Results: In total, 96% of the participants had their ulcers infected—32.3% (n = 31) of these had their ulcers infected with one bacterium, 47.9% (n = 46) with two bacteria, 18.8% (n = 18) with three bacteria, and 1.0% (n = 1) with four bacteria. The prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA were 19% and 6%, respectively. The distribution of the other bacteria was as follows: coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) (54%), Escherichia coli (24%), Pseudomonas spp. (19%), Citrobacter koseri and Morganella morgana (12% each), Klebsiella oxytoca (11%), Proteus vulgaris (8%), Enterococcus spp. (6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5%), Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter spp. (4%), Klebsiella spp. (2%), and Streptococcus spp. (1%). The resistance rates of S. aureus decreased across penicillin (100%, n = 19), tetracycline (47.4%, n = 9), cotrimoxazole (42.1%, n = 8), cefoxitin (31.6%, n = 6), erythromycin and clindamycin (26.3% each, n = 5), norfloxacin and gentamicin (15.8% each, n = 3), rifampicin (10.5%, n = 2), linezolid (5.3%, n = 1), and fusidic acid (0.0%, n = 0). The proportion of multidrug resistance was 47.4% (n = 9). Except for foot ulcer infection with coagulase-negative Staphylococci, which was protective of S. aureus infection of the ulcers (OR = 0.029, p = 0.001, 95% CI = 0.004–0.231), no predictor of S. aureus, MRSA, or polymicrobial ulcer infection was identified. Conclusions: The prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA infection of the diabetic foot ulcers were high, but lower than those of the predominant infector, coagulase-negative Staphylococci and the next highest infecting agent, E. coli. Diabetic foot ulcers’ infection with coagulase-negative Staphylococci protected against their infection with S. aureus. The prevalence of multidrug resistance was high, highlighting the need to further intensify antimicrobial stewardship programmes.


2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teodora Chiţă ◽  
Delia Muntean ◽  
Luminiţa Badiţoiu ◽  
Bogdan Timar ◽  
Roxana Moldovan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and aims: Infected foot ulcer is one of the most feared complications of diabetes mellitus. Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequently isolated pathogen in diabetic foot infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of S. aureus strains involved in producing foot infections in diabetic patients and the antibiotic resistance pattern of these strains. Material and methods: The study included 33 S. aureus strains isolated from 55 diabetic foot ulcers. The subjects were selected from the 2465 patients with diabetes mellitus hospitalized in the Timişoara Diabetes Clinic, between 2011 and 2013. Germs’ identification relied on cultural and biochemical characteristics. Final identification and antimicrobial testing were performed using the Vitek 2 (Bio Merieux France) automatic analyzer. Results: All the 55 samples collected from diabetic foot ulcers were positive. We isolated 64 bacterial strains (some samples were positive for 2 microorganisms). The most frequently isolated germ was S. aureus, in 33 samples (51.56%). All these S. aureus strains showed resistance to benzylpenicillin, while only 33.33% were methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Conclusions: The most frequently isolated germ in the wound secretions from diabetic foot ulcers was S. aureus. The highest percentage of antimicrobial resistance was recorded to benzylpenicillin and erythromycin.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 88-96
Author(s):  
Chhajed Shweta ◽  
Arora Asha

Diabetic Foot Ulcer (DFU) is one of the major complications of Diabetes. Patients with Diabetic Foot ulcers have a high susceptibility to microbial infections and are the leading cause of hospitalization and amputation of lower limbs. In the era of increased prevalence of bacterial resistance and outbreak of resistant infectious diseases, it is very essential to develop effective therapeutic strategies towards multi-drug resistant pathogens. The antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles have been well studied, therefore their use in biomedicine and pharmacology is a trend. Herein we present the use of Phyto-mediated synthesized AgNPs for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers by topical administration. The nanoparticles were synthesized by reducing silver nitrate using Terminalia chebula fruit extract. The nanoparticles were analyzed and characterized using UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, FTIR, XRD, SEM with EDAX, TEM, and DLS. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were assayed for antimicrobial activity against five Diabetic Foot Ulcer bacterial isolates i.e. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis. The bactericidal property of synthesized nanoparticles was analyzed by the Agar well diffusion method, which revealed the remarkable antimicrobial effects against all the selective pathogenic bacterial isolates of Diabetic foot ulcers in the present study. These results constituted the basis for further studies on the use of plant-based silver nanoparticles for the treatment of Diabetic Foot ulcers from different origins


2017 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Zhang Ming Lim ◽  
Natasha Su Lynn Ng ◽  
Cecil Thomas

The rising prevalence of diabetes estimated at 3.6 million people in the UK represents a major public health and socioeconomic burden to our National Health Service. Diabetes and its associated complications are of a growing concern. Diabetes-related foot complications have been identified as the single most common cause of morbidity among diabetic patients. The complicating factor of underlying peripheral vascular disease renders the majority of diabetic foot ulcers asymptomatic until latter evidence of non-healing ulcers become evident. Therefore, preventative strategies including annual diabetic foot screening and diabetic foot care interventions facilitated through a multidisciplinary team have been implemented to enable early identification of diabetic patients at high risk of diabetic foot complications. The National Diabetes Foot Care Audit reported significant variability and deficiencies of care throughout England and Wales, with emphasis on change in the structure of healthcare provision and commissioning, improvement of patient education and availability of healthcare access, and emphasis on preventative strategies to reduce morbidities and mortality of this debilitating disease. This review article aims to summarise major risk factors contributing to the development of diabetic foot ulcers. It also considers the key evidence-based strategies towards preventing diabetic foot ulcer. We discuss tools used in risk stratification and classifications of foot ulcer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 433-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasniati Haeruddin ◽  
Saldy Yusuf ◽  
Ilhamjaya Patellongi ◽  
Kaharuddin Abdul Rasid ◽  
Harbaeni Harkam ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18
Author(s):  
Sahar Shafiee ◽  
Maryam Heidarpour ◽  
Sima Sabbagh ◽  
Elham Amini ◽  
Hanieh Saffari ◽  
...  

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease associated with high cardiovascular risk. A vascular complication of diabetes is foot ulcers. Diabetic foot ulcers are prevalent and substantially reduce the quality of life of patients who have them. Currently, diabetic foot ulcer is a major problem for wound care specialists, and its treatment requires considerable health care resources. So far, various therapeutic modalities have been proposed to treat diabetic foot ulcers and one of them is stem cell-based therapy. Stem cell-based therapy has shown great promise for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. This strategy has been shown to be safe and effective in both preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we provide an overview of the stem cell types and possible beneficial effects of stem cell transplantation therapy for diabetic foot ulcers, and an overview of the current status of stem cell research in both preclinical and clinical trial stages of treatment strategies for diabetic foot ulcers.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naser Parizad ◽  
Kazem Hajimohammadi ◽  
Rasoul Goli

Abstract BackgroundDiabetic foot ulcers, as one of the most debilitating complications of diabetes, can lead to amputation. Treatment and management of diabetic foot ulcers are among the most critical challenges for the patients and their families. Case presentationThe present case report is of a 63-year-old man with a 5-year history of uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who has had diabetic foot ulcers for the past three years on three sites of the left external ankle in the form of two deep circular ulcers with sizes of 6×4 cm and 6×8 cm, the sole as a superficial ulcer with a size of 6×3 cm, and the left heel as a deep skin groove. Moreover, the left hallux was completely gangrenous. The patient's ulcers were infected with Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Despite antibiotic therapy and routine dressing changes, the patient showed no improvement during the hospital stay. Accordingly, the patient was transferred to our service after consulting with the wound management team. Diabetic foot ulcers were treated and managed using a combination of maggot therapy, the Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), and silver foam dressing. After three months and ten days, the patient's ulcers completely healed, and he was discharged from our service with the excellent and stable condition. ConclusionsBased on the present case report study's clinical results, wound-care teams can use the combination therapy applied in this study to treat refractory diabetic foot ulcers.


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