23 - Diabetic Foot Ulcer Flashcards
Describe peripheral vascular disease
- 4 times more prevalent in diabetics
- Arterial occlusion typically involves the tibial and peroneal arteries, but spares the dorsalis pedis artery
What are the contributing factors to peripheral vascular disease?
- Smoking
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidemia
- Elevated cholesterol or decreased HDL
- Obesity
- Age
What are the signs and symptoms of arterial occlusive disease?
- Claudicaion
- Rest pain
- Atrophic, shiny skin
- Diminished hair growth
- Dependent rubor (red coloration visible when the leg is in a dependent position but not when it’s elevated above the heart)
- Pallor on elevation (pale appearance)
What are the three categories of complications of peripheral neuropathy?
- Sensory
- Motor
- Autonomic
What are the sensory complications of peripheral neuropathy?
- Loss of protective sensation
- Pain, pressure and temperature sensation loss
What are the motor complications of peripheral neuropathy?
- Atrophy of the intrinsic muscles
- Flexion deformity
- Pressure at metatarsal heads and toes
What are the autonomic complications of peripheral neuropathy?
- Dyshidrosis and dry skin
- AV shunting (increase in bone and skin perfusion)
How does arterial occlusion and peripheral neuropathy lead to ulceration and amputation?
Associated with an increased risk of ulceration and amputation
- Increased plantar pressure
- Bony prominence
- Limited joint mobility
Describe a neuropathic wound
Neuropathic wound
- Someone with diabetes or lack of sensation
- This is pretty typical, usually on the bottom of the foot, common on metatarsal heads
- Beefy red tissue centrally
- Necrotic = black, brown, dark
- Fibrotic = white
What types of factors can delay wound healing?
Both systemic factors and local factors
What are the systemic factors that can delay wound healing?
Systemic factors
- Old age
- Obesity
- Chronic diseases (diabetes, anemia, etc.)
- Malnutrition
- Vascular insufficiency
- Immunodeficiency
- Poor health
- Stress
What are the local factors that can delay wound healing?
Local factors
- Continued pressure
- Dessication and dehydration
- Trauma and edema
- Colonization or infection
- Lack of oxygen delivery
- poor hygiene
What are the stages of normal cutaneous wound healing?
Day 0 - Trauma
Day 0-3 - Haemostasis, inflammation, cell migration
Day 3-7 - Cell proliferation, ECM synthesis, granulation tissue, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization
Day 10-14 - Remodelling, wound closure, contraction
What cell types will be present throughout the wound healing cycle?
Day 0-3 - Platelets, neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, EPCs
Day 3-7 - keratinocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, EPCs
Day 7-14 - myofibroblasts, macrophages
What are all the factors that can lead to stalled wound healing?
- No “trigger” of acute tissue damage
- Exaggerated inflammation and PAIN
- Increased MMPs and decreased TMPs
- Deficiency of GF receptors and destruction of GFs y MMPs
- Senescent fibroblasts
- Increased bioburden or biofilm
- Loss of moisture control
- Altered nitric oxide levels
What are MMPs?
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of enzymes that in concert are responsible for the degradation of most extracellular matrix proteins during organogenesis, growth and normal tissue turnover.
They are a GOOD thing for the wound because it “kicks it into high gear” to a point, bu when it gets too high it is no longer beneficial
What are the two ulcer grading systems we covered?
- Wagner’s grading system for diabetic feet
- University of Texas wound classification system
** NEED to know these **
What is Wagner’s grading system for diabetic feet useful for?
Useful for expressing the severity of a diabetic foot ulcer or infection
What is the scale for Wagner’s?
Grade 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Describe a grade 0 ulcer
Grade 0: no evidence of ulcer or infection.
Describe a grade 1 ulcer
Grade 1: ulcers are superficial lesions, but suggest full thickness erosions of the epidermis; the dimensions of these, and all, lesions should be noted.
Describe a grade 2 ulcer
Grade 2: ulcers may simply be considered deeper lesions that have penetrated to bone or a fascial plane (tracking).
Describe a grade 3 ulcer
Grade 3: ulcers extend to bone, or have invaded a fascial plane and may be associated with abscess formation. (Osteomyelitis is very likely. Such lesions, almost by definition, represent surgical problems because infected bone needs to be debrided and deep abscesses need to be drained.)
Must have extension to bone AND sign of infection or abscess ***
Describe a grade 4 ulcer
Grade 4: feet have gangrene of the forefoot, frequently requiring debridement or amputation.