• The Monthly Diabetes
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• s.288
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• pp.68-71
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• 2013

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.77-79
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to suggest a new detection method for early diagnosing diabetic neuropathic foot by obtaining a ratio of toe to figer blood flow using photoplethysmography(PPG). Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) has been routinely used for diagnosing neuropathic foot, but it applies strong electric stimulus to peripheries resulting in stress and pain. The blood flow ratio of diabetic neuropathy(0.96${\pm}$0.20) was significantly higher in comoarison to normal control group(0.46${\pm}$0.15, left : p<0.05, right : p<0.05) and non-neuropathy diabetic group(0.49${\pm}$0.21, left: p<0.05. right: p<0.05).

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.150-155
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• 2009

Purpose: To help the empirical antibiotics selection in diabetic foot infection patients, we investigated prevalence of microorganisms and their antibiotics sensitivity results. Materials and Methods: Patients who came to our clinics to treat diabetic foot infections with deep ulceration and were followed up more than 6 months until complete recovery were adopted. From March 2006 to June 2009, there were 140 patients who corresponded with such a inclusion criteria. Wound cultures were done by deep tissue or bone debris at first visit to our clinics. Microorganisms which was documented by wound culture and most susceptible antibiotics by minimum inhibitory concentrations were surveyed retrospectively. Results: Microorganisms were confirmed in 113 cases (80.7%). In the other 27 cases (19.3%), there were no cultured microorganisms. In bacterial growth group, there were 72 cases (63.7%) of gram-positive bacteria and 41 cases (36.3%) of gram-negative bacteria. All of them were aerobic microorganisms and there were no anaerobic microorganisms. Methicillin-sensitive staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen and accounted for 35 cases (31.0%). As other common pathogens, there were Enterobacter cloacae (11 cases, 9.7%), pseudomonas aeruginosa (10 cases, 8.8%), Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (10 cases, 8.8%) and enterococcus faecalis (6 cases, 5.3%), and so on. Common susceptible antibiotics in gram positive microorganism were vancomycin (60 cases, 83.3%), teicoplanin (60 cases, 83.3%), nitrofurantoin (60 cases, 83.3%) and ciprofloxacin (53 cases, 73.6%). In gram negative ones, common susceptible antibiotics were imipenem (35 cases, 85.3%), piperacillin/tazobactam (33 cases, 80.5%) and gentamicin (31 cases, 75.6%). Conclusion: Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in gram positive and enterobacter cloacae in gram negative was the most common pathogen in each group. Ciprofloxacin and gentamicin might be adaptable as a first-line empirical antibiotics in infected diabetic foot patients.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.408-420
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• 2016

This study proposes an alternative approach for the use of chitosan silver-based dressing for the control of foot infection with multidrug-resistant bacteria. Sixty-five bacterial isolates were isolated from 40 diabetic patients. Staphylococcus aureus (37%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.5%) were the predominant isolates in the ulcer samples. Ten antibiotics were in vitro tested against diabetic foot clinical bacterial isolates. The most resistant S. aureus and P. aeruginosa isolates were then selected for further study. Three chitosan sources were tested individually for chelating silver nanoparticles. Squilla chitosan silver nanoparticles (Sq. Cs-Ag⁰) showed the maximum activity against the resistant bacteria when mixed with amikacin that showed the maximum synergetic index. This, in turn, resulted in the reduction of the amikacin MIC value by 95%. For evaluation of the effectiveness of the prepared dressing using Artemia salina as the toxicity biomarker, the LC₅₀ was found to be 549.5, 18,000, and 10,000 μg/ml for amikacin, Sq. Cs-Ag⁰, and dressing matrix, respectively. Loading the formula onto chitosan hydrogel dressing showed promising antibacterial activities, with responsive healing properties for the wounds in normal rats of those diabetic rats (polymicrobial infection). It is quite interesting to note that no emergence of any side effect on either kidney or liver biomedical functions was noticed.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.151-155
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• 2018

Purpose: Toe ulcers have been implicated as a causative factor in diabetic foot amputation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of percutaneous needle flexor tenotomies of diabetic claw toes with ulcers or pending ulcers. Materials and Methods: The authors undertook a retrospective chart review between January 2014 and June 2016 to identify those patients who underwent a percutaneous needle flexor tenotomy for diabetic claw toe deformities. We evaluated 54 toes in 42 patients. Twenty-four patients were female and the mean age at the time of operation was 57 years. The mean follow-up time was 11 months. Thirty-four patients (46 toes) had tip toe ulcers or pending ulcers and 8 patients (8 toes) had dorsal pending ulcers. All patients had palpable pulses and good capillary refill. Results: Forty-three of 46 tip toe ulcers (93.5%) healed without significant complications and 8 dorsal ulcers showed no specific changes within 5 weeks. There were no recurrent ulcers at final follow-up. Four patients developed transfer lesion of the adjacent toe and needed subsequent tenotomy. Conclusion: Percutaneous needle tenotomy in an outpatient clinic was an effective and safe method for treating toe ulcers in neuropathic patients to offload the tip of the toe so that ulcer healing could occur.

• Journal of the Korean Burn Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.20-24
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• 2020

Diabetic patients have an increased risk of burn injuries on foot. Because of their diabetic neuropathy, they could contact with hot water or warming device without being aware of it. Split-thickness skin graft (STSG) is successful in treatment of various wound types; however, donor site wounds are sometimes problematic, and complications such as pain and impaired healing often occur. Although, donor site wounds in healthy young individuals can rapidly heal without complications, the wound-healing capacity of elderly patients or those with a comorbidity has been reported to be low. The dermatome is the most commonly used tool because it can harvest a large skin graft in one attempt. However, it is difficult to harvest tissues if the area is not flat. Furthermore, because the harvested skin is usually rectangular, additional skin usually remains after skin grafting. Therefore, use of razor blade and fragmented STSG on a large defect area is advantageous for harvesting a graft with a desired size, shape, and thickness. From January 2018 to July 2018, fragmented STSG was used in 9 patients who suffered from burn induced open wound on foot with diabetic neuropathy. With this approach, healing process was relatively rapid. The mean age of patients was 70 (57~86 years) and all of 9 patients had diabetes mellitus type 2. In all patients, the skin graft on the defect site healed well and did not result in complications such as hematoma or seroma.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2016

Purpose: This study examined the factors affecting the treatment of diabetes mellitus foot patients who had undergone a Syme amputation. Materials and Methods: This study included 17 patients diagnosed with a diabetes mellitus foot and who had undergone a Syme amputation from January 2010 to January 2014. Some of the risk factors (age, body mass index [BMI], disease duration, smoking, ankle brachial index [ABI], HbA1c, serum albumin, total lymphocyte, C-reactive protein [CRP], and serum creatine) that affect the successful Syme amputation were analyzed. Results: The healing rate of a Syme amputation was significantly higher when the lymphocyte count was above $1,500mm^3$ (p=0.029). The factors affecting the surgical outcome according to multivariate analysis were HbA1c and the BMI (p=0.014, p=0.013). Regarding reamputation, there was a significant difference with HbA1c, lymphocyte, and BMI (p=0.01, p=0.03, and p=0.01). No significant differences were observed with age, disease duration of diabetes mellitus, smoking, ABI, serum albumin, CRP, and serum creatine. Conclusion: The HbA1c level, BMI and total lymphocyte count are risk factors that must be considered for successful Syme amputation in patients with diabetic foot disease.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.543-550
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• 2007

Purpose: Diabetic foot ulcer is a representative disease of chronic would with multiple defects of wound healing factors. Many nutrition factors have been known to be essential for wound healing, but objective data are lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine those factors essential for wound healing, and to find out which of those factors are lacking in diabetic foot ulcer patients through this pilot study. Methods: We studied 100 patients who visited our clinic from March 2005 to February 2006 for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers with a duration of more than 6 weeks. We checked serum levels of protein, albumin, vitamin A, C, E, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper and hemoglobin by drawing 23cc blood after 8 hours of fasting. Protein, albumin, iron, magnesium levels were measured by colorimetry; hemoglobin levels were measured by auto analysis. Vitamin levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), copper and zinc levels were measured by Inductively coupled plasma (ICP). They were compared with normal values. The patients were divided by transcutaneous oxygen pressure levels, age and sex to study the effects of these parameters. Results: 76% and 61% of patients had within-normal range serum protein and albumin levels, respectively. Among vitamins, only the level of vitamin C was low in 55% of the patients. Levels of vitamin A, E were normal or high in 93% and 100% of patients. As for trace elements, levels of iron and zinc were low in 63% and 60% of patients, but levels of magnesium and copper were usually normal or high. Levels of vitamin C, iron and zinc were lower in the low-transcutaneous oxygen pressure group. There were no definite differences according to age and sex. Conclusion: Serum levels of Hb, vitamin C, iron, zinc were low in most diabetic foot ulcer patients. The deficit was very severe in the low-transcutaneous oxygen pressure group.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2010

Purpose: Diabetic foot infection is one of the most common and severe complications of diabetes mellitus that delays healing of the wound. Deep tissue biopsy is considered to be the gold standard method for antibiotic selection in treating infected chronic diabetic ulcers. However, swab culture or superficial tissue biopsy is often performed for a microbiologic test since deep tissue biopsy has limitations in application. The purpose of this study is to find out whether microbiologic results of swab culture or superficial tissue biopsy could be used for selection of antibiotics in treating diabetic ulcers. Methods: This study involved 42 patients with diabetic foot ulcers with negative results in bone probing test. Tissue samples for microbiologic tests were collected from all the patients by using superficial cotton swab, superficial tissue, and deep tissue. The microbiologic results of deep tissue biopsy were compared with swab culture and superficial tissue biopsy statistically. Results: Microbiology of the deep tissue showed the same results with those of the swab culture and superficial tissue in 67% and 71%, respectively. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the microbiology of the swab culture and superficial tissue does not coincide with that of the deep tissue. Conclusion: These results suggest that the microbiology of the swab culture and superficial tissue is not concordant with that of the deep tissue in infected chronic diabetic ulcers. To select appropriate antibiotic regimen, the speci specimen for the microbiologic test should be obtained from deep tissue.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.58-66
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• 2019

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic-loaded cement spacers (ALCSs) for the treatment of diabetic foot infections with osteomyelitis as a salvage procedure and to analyze the risk factors of treatment failure. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed retrospectively 39 cases of diabetic foot infections with osteomyelitis who underwent surgical treatment from 2009 to 2017. The mean age and follow-up period were $62{\pm}13years$ and $19.2{\pm}23.3months$, respectively. Wounds were graded using the Wagner and Strauss classification. X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (or bone scan) and deep tissue cultures were taken preoperatively to diagnose osteomyelitis. The ankle-brachial index, toe-brachial index (TBI), and current perception threshold were checked. Lower extremity angiography was performed and if necessary, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was conducted preoperatively. As a surgical treatment, meticulous debridement, bone curettage, and ALCS placement were employed in all cases. Between six and eight weeks after surgery, ALCS removal and autogenous iliac bone graft were performed. The treatment was considered successful if the wounds had healed completely within three months without signs of infection and no additional amputation within six months. Results: The treatment success rate was 82.1% (n=32); 12.8% (n=5) required additional amputation and 5.1% (n=2) showed delayed wound healing. Bacterial growth was confirmed in 82.1% (n=32) with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus being the most commonly identified strain (23.1%, n=9). The lesions were divided anatomically into four groups; the largest number was the toes: (1) toes (41.0%, n=16), (2) metatarsals (35.9%, n=14), (3) midfoot (5.1%, n=2), and (4) hindfoot (17.9%, n=7). A significant difference in the Strauss wound score and TBI was observed between the treatment success group and failure group. Conclusion: The insertion of ALCSs can be a useful treatment option in diabetic foot infections with osteomyelitis. Low scores in the Strauss classification and low TBI are risk factors of treatment failure.