Abstract

The authors report a series of thirty-six perforating ulcers of the foot in diabetic patients, evaluated using M.R.I. M.R.I. showed osteomyelitis in 16 cases, cellulitis in 15 cases, osteoarthropathies in 21 cases, tenosynovitis of flexor tendons in 2 cases, oedema in 2 cases and abscess in one case. In 19 cases, M.R.I. was used to improve diagnostic accuracy. The medical treatment made use of thermo-moulded soles allowing for the recovery of walking, with a hole facing the perforating ulcer of the foot. The application of insulin-soaked sponges in the event of clean perforating ulcer of the foot and iodized solution in the event of infected perforating ulcer of the foot promoted healing. The treatment was only conservative, when the lesions were limited to the soft tissues. Surgical treatment was performed in 19 cases due to a global involvement of soft and osteoarticular tissues. In fourteen cases the surgical treatment was limited and was performed through the perforating ulcer. Resection of metatarsal heads or metatarso-phalangeal joints was performed in 10 cases, with resection of surrounding pathologic tissue. The surgical treatment was limited to the soft tissues in 6 cases. In 4 cases, M.R.I. findings resulted into a transmetatarsal amputation because the vascular plexus was of poor quality and infection spread from the perforating ulcer to the dorsal aspect of the foot. In our opinion, dorsal infectious involvement in a perforating ulcer of the foot, is a factor of poor prognosis. A below-knee amputation has been performed in one patient.