Evaluating the effectiveness of antibiotic bone cement for infected diabetic foot wounds

The study investigated the efficacy of antibiotic bone cement for infected diabetic foot wounds. The study found that antibiotic cement gave promising results for the management of diabetic foot-infected wounds.

Diabetes is a condition that affects the body’s blood glucose level. Diabetes requires constant treatment and monitoring. If left untreated or blood sugar level is uncontrollable, diabetic complications arise such as diabetic foot. This involves damage to the nerves in the feet, which increases the risk of the patients hurting their feet without knowing. Also, high blood glucose makes it more difficult for the wounds would heal and increases the risk of infection. When a diabetic foot becomes infected and cannot be managed, amputation is the last option.

Current treatments for infected diabetic foot are debridement, dressing changes, hematologic construction, and educating patients on foot care. The use of antibiotic bone cement can prevent the risk of infection. However, the application of this treatment does not have much medical evidence.  

This study reviewed the results of 9 other studies that analyzed 532 patients with diabetic foot. 266 participants were in the intervention group and received an antibiotic bone cement treatment. 266 patients were in the control group and received vacuum sealing drainage (VSD). VSD involves continuous vacuum suction to heal wounds. Antibiotic bone cement involves a powder loaded with antibiotics that is applied to the wound. 

Patients in the intervention group had significantly shorter wound healing time and hospital stay compared to the control group. Patients in the intervention group also needed fewer surgical procedures and a shorter time for infection healing (the time in which bacterial cultures turn negative) compared to the control group. 

This study showed that antibiotic bone cement treatment was effective in the management for patients with infected diabetic foot wounds.

The study had a small sample size and involved studies with different methodologies. A large controlled randomized study is needed to validate the findings.