Treatment Outcomes and Clinical Evaluation of Upper Extremity Infections Related to Diabetes

Objective: The most important and common complication encountered in diabetic patients is diabetic infections, which may result in amputation. Herein, we aimed to present the treatment results of rare upper extremity infection related to diabetes at the wound clinic. Materials and Methods: Forty-two patients who were diagnosed with and treated for upper extremity infection in our diabetic wound clinic between June 2018 and November 2019 were retrospectively screened and the 23 who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. Drainage, VAC, ray/open amputation, and flap reconstruction were applied either alone or in combination. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were recorded. Results: The mean follow-up time of the 23 patients (4 F/19 M; mean age 55.08 +/- 11.83 (28-66) years) was 13.73 +/- 4.43 (6-26) months and the mean hospital stay was 18.82 +/- 9.31 days. Hypertension was also present in 2/3 of the patients and coronary artery disease in 1/3. The etiological cause was unknown in almost half of the patients. While combined surgical methods were used in some patients, the most common method applied was drainage. Two patients were treated with flap reconstruction. Conclusion: We think that the treatment of upper extremity infection related to diabetes using a multidisciplinary approach and the dissemination of diabetic wound services will highly likely to make the treatment of complications of this disease more cost-effective.