Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Because of the malnourished condition and low immunity, the chronic diabetic skin ulcer is difficult to heal and the conventional wound treatment is ineffective.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of negative pressure wound therapy on the treatment of diabetic skin chronic ulcers.
METHODS: 144 patients with diabetic skin chronic ulcers (132 with diabetic foot ulcers and 12 with pressure sore) were collected from the Department of Endocrinology, the People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region during July 2007 to December 2010. The patients were treated with negative pressure wound therapy and routine treatment method respectively, and supplemented with blood sugar controlling and blood pressure controlling, anticoagulation, anti-infective and other symptomatic and supportive treatment.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Among the 109 patients that treated with negative pressure wound therapy, 60 patients were healed, 30 patients significant effective, 14 patients were effective, and 5 patients were ineffective with total effective rate of 95.4%. Among the 35 patients that treated with routine treatment method, 17 patients were healed, 10 patients were significant effective, three patients were effective, and five patients were ineffective with total effective rate of 85.7%. There was a significant difference in the total effective rate between two groups (P < 0.05). Negative pressure wound therapy could significantly improve the tissue oxygen partial pressure around the ulcers of the patients with diabetic foot ulcers, and the maximum continuous operation time of the negative pressure pump was 120 days without complications. It indicates that negative pressure wound therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of chronic diabetic skin ulcer.