Clinical profile and surgical management of diabetic foot in Benghazi, Libya

• Medical records of 542 patients admitted with diabetic foot to a major teaching hospital were studied.
• 52% of patients presented with grade III–V ulcers according to Wagner's grading system.
• The overall amputation rate was 34%.
• The mortality rate was 2%, and comprised mainly patients presented as Wagner's grades IV and V and those who had comorbid diseases.
• There is a need to establish a dedicated facility with multidisciplinary team to improve patients outcome.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to outline the patterns and management of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and compare our experience with other published data.Patients and methodsAll consecutive patients admitted to Al-Jala Hospital with diabetic foot from June, 2008 to May, 2013 were reviewed retrospectively.ResultsA total of 542 patients were studied, Wagner's grade III ulcers were the most prevalent (31%), followed by grade II (25%). About 10% of patients underwent major amputations and 24.2% underwent minor amputations. The amputation rate was 34%, and the mortality rate was 2%.ConclusionDiabetic foot infections cause significant morbidity and mortality among patients with diabetes in Benghazi. There is a need to establish a diabetic foot clinic in Benghazi with a multidisciplinary team to reduce the rates of hospital admission and amputation, as well as hospital stay duration.