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Grafts Help Heal Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Posted: Thursday, October 30, 2003

Now, new research has shown that grafts derived from a patient's skin cells can help some diabetic ulcers heal faster.

These findings come from a study, published in the current issue of Diabetes Care, that compared such grafts with standard gauze dressings in 79 diabetics with ulcers on the top or bottom of their feet.

The grafts were created by taking skin samples from each patient and then growing the skin cells in a lab to form a sheet that could be used to cover the patient's ulcer.

All of the patients had their ulcers cleaned thoroughly, received antibiotics if needed, and were given casts to relieve pressure if the ulcer was on the bottom of the foot, lead author Dr. Carlo Caravaggi, from the Ospedale di Abbiategrasso in Milan, and colleagues note.

Grafting was safe and well tolerated, the authors report. Among patients with ulcers on the top of the foot, 67 percent of grafted ulcers healed compared with just 31 percent of gauze-treated ulcers. Among patients with ulcers on the bottom of the foot, however, about 52 percent of ulcers healed regardless of treatment type.

Although grafting appears to be more effective for top-of-foot ulcers, the authors note that it may still be of use for bottom-foot ulcers, especially when the optimal pressure-relieving cast cannot be used.

Source: Diabetes In Control.com: Diabetes Care, October 2003.