Debridement of Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Diabetic Foot ulcerations have devastating complications including amputations, poor quality of life, and serious infections. Diabetic wounds can be protracted, take significant time to heal, and can recur after healing. They are costly and consume healthcare resources. These consequences have serious public health and clinical implications. Debridement is often used as a standard of care. Debridement consists of both non-mechanical (autolytic, enzymatic) and mechanical methods (sharp/surgical, wet to dry debridement, aqueous high-pressure lavage, ultrasound, and biosurgery/maggot debridement therapy). Debridement is used to remove nonviable tissue, to facilitate wound healing, and help prevent these serious outcomes. What are the various forms, rationale, and evidence pertaining to debridement? This article comprehensively reviews the science of diabetic foot ulcers, and the science and methods behind the debridement of diabetic foot ulcers.