Current and newer treatments for diabetic foot ulcers

MBBS
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Diabetes is prevalent in almost 9% of the Indian population. According to a 2024 study, diabetic foot ulcers(DFUs) affect about 6.2% of diabetic patients in India.

Basic management of DFUs includes local wound care -tissue debridement, antibiotics, managing exudate from the wound and regular dressings.

NEWER TREATMENT: A phase 3 trial in 2023 found a potential topical treatment - esmolol gel. Esmolol belongs to the beta blocker class of drugs. Topical application of esmolol hydrochloride gel twice daily significantly improved closure of DFUs, especially in patients with additional risk factors for delayed wound healing.

Other advanced treatments include:

•advanced moist wound treatment

• bioengineered tissue

• skin substitutes

•peptides

• growth factors

•electrostimulation

•negative pressure wound treatment

Question: Have you come across any other or additional methods that are being followed in different healthcare centres for diabetic foot ulcers management?

MBH/PS

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Esmolol gel sounds like a promising advancement, it’s amazing how existing drugs are being repurposed for wound healing. I’ve also heard about using stem cell therapy and hyperbaric oxygen treatment in some centres with encouraging results.

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This is very insightful. Diabetic foot ulcers remain a major challenge, so it is encouraging to see newer options like topical esmolol showing benefits in healing. Along with standard care, many centres are now combining multiple therapies to improve outcomes.

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Debridement in which dead or infected tissue is removed from the wound so that the healing process of that wound can speed up in case of Diabetic Foot Ulcer.

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Truly informative! I wasn’t aware of esmolol gel being used topically for Diabetic foot ulcers, it surely sounds promising. In some centres, I’ve heard hyperbaric oxygen therapy and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) being used to enhance healing in difficult cases.