Symptoms of the Diabetic Foot and Types of Medical Dressing
Diabetic foot disease is one of the most painful injuries, due to the severe pain that the patient suffers from.
Symptoms of Diabetic Foot:
- Change in skin colour and skin temperature.
- Swelling of the foot or ankle.
- Pain in the legs.
- Irreversible sores in the feet.
- Sunken or Fungal nails.
- Dry cracks in the skin, especially around heels.
- Unusual and Persistent Foot Smell.
Diabetic Foot Complications:
- Loss of Foot Sensation.
- Finger or Foot deformities and Difficulty in Walking.
- Inflammation and Foot Infections.
- Fungal infections between Fingers.
- Insufficient blood circulation in the foot and lack of blood nutrition in the feet.
- Gangrene Foot.
- Foot poisoning and Septicemia.
- Amputation of the Lower Limb.
Surgical Dressing Objectives:
The use of Surgical Dressings in cases of diabetic foot aims to ensure the rapid recovery of wounds because of their ability to:
- Control bacterial infection to avoid the risk of gangrene or amputation.
- Protect the wound from injury and thus provide opportunities for rapid healing.
- Control secretions that may negatively affect the healing process, so non-adhesive and absorbent surgical gears are used for secretions such as foam gears.
Types of Dressings for Diabetic Foot:
The basis of diabetic foot wound care is to cover the wounds with a sterile and non-adhesive bandage to keep them clean, warm, and damp. There are many types of dressings for the diabetic foot, the most famous of which are:
1- Traditional Wet Dressings:
It includes traditional wet dressings that have been poor in reliance in recent times, include changing with gauze and cotton change using saline and betadine solution to cleanse the wound.
2- Dry Dressings:
Honey Dressings: The most popular type of Dry Dressing, where they are imbued with medical honey with antimicrobial and inflammatory properties; So they can be used for acute or chronic wounds, and the change of the dressing is done every two or three days.
Silver Dressings: They are imbued with silver that has an antibacterial role, so silver dressings are suitable for contaminated wounds and the change of the dressing is done every two or three days.
3- Absorbent Dressings:
Absorbent Cotton Gauze: It is used in wounds with dense secretions, and used as secondary spare parts with other types of gauze.
Foam Dressings: They are dressings that absorb secretions and maintain moderate wound moisture.
Odour Absorbing Dressings: contains charcoal to absorb wound odour, used as secondary dressing with other types of dressing.
4- Modern Dressings:
Alginate Dressings: Used in wounds with intense discharge. When the dressing is in contact with the wound, a layer of gel is formed. It is used as secondary dressings with other dressing types.
Hydrogel Dressings: These include the sucking of secretions and moisturizing the wounds according to the wound's moisture.
Semi-pungent Dressings: where they allow the passage of water vapour and oxygen and do not allow the passage of water and microorganisms.
Silicon Dressings: Used with perfectly clean wounds to provide them with a chance of healing speed and change every two or three days.
Hydrochloride Dressing: They are dressings that moisturize wounds and form a layer of gel upon contact with the wound.
Treatment of wounds with negative pressure (negative air suction):
It is a technique used to treat multiple types of wounds, especially deep wounds, where the spare is done on the wound with certain substances and the closure of the wound is controlled.
The wound is connected to a suction device by a tubular connection where the wound is subjected to negative pressure and suction force of the device, to suck excess secretions and liquids including harmful enzymes, in the secretion assembly bowl, from the wound first and to help in forming a proper healthy tissue and accelerate cell growth. The medical dressing is changed three times a week and that technique depends on the vacuum device which gives excellent results and shortens the treatment period remarkably.
Dr. Waleed El-Daly is pleased to provide this device that has helped many diabetic foot patients, and also provided them with advices and guided them to choose the best medical dressing suitable for them according to the type, size, and area of the wound.
