Diabetics typically have problems with wound healing. This can be due to a number of factors, including a weakened immune system, poor circulation and nerve damage which allows wounds to go undetected. Patients with diabetes often require special treatment for wounds to prevent infections and other complications which can keep the wound from healing.
Off-loading
One important part of treating diabetic wounds, particularly those of the feet, is called off-loading. This process, according to the California Podiatric Medical Association, works to relieve pressure from the injured area. Patients may need to wear special braces, casts, shoes, or be moved in a wheel chair, which will help promote healing of the wounded area. The faster the wound heals, the less chance there is of it getting infected and of causing additional complications.
Dressing
Another important part of treating a diabetic wound is the use of a proper dressing. A good dressing, Wounds Research explains, keeps the wound moist and protected. It also is able to absorb any fluid which seeps from the wound but does not stick to the wound, which allows it to be changed easily. Dressings that keep bacteria from getting into the wound but allow for fresh air to get to the wound are also beneficial. Some dressings are coated with materials which help promote the healing of wounds such as hydrocolloid, alginate, promogran and hydrogel. These compounds all work to stimulate the production of new cells and tissue to help cover the wound.
Antibiotics
A 2005 article in Podiatry Today titled "A Guide To Emerging Antibiotics For Diabetic Foot Infections" explains that antibiotics are also useful in treating infected wounds in patients with diabetes. Ertapenem, linezolid, moxifloxacin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, daptomycin and dalbavancin are all antibiotics which can be taken orally to help prevent bacterial infection of diabetic wounds. It is important to keep diabetic wounds from becoming infected, as the infections can spread to the bone or can cause gangrene, which can require amputation of the infected tissue.
Debridement
Debridement can be used to help treat diabetic wounds that are not healing well. Debridement works to remove dead tissue, which can impair wound healing and provide a fertile breeding ground for bacteria. Debridement can be done surgically or can be performed with a solution of proteins known as enzymes, which break down the dead tissue.
Another method of debridement involves the application of maggots to the wound. Maggots will only consume the dead tissue and will leave behind the live and healthy tissue. Debridement is particularly important for wounds that have developed dead and necrotic tissue before they are discovered.
