Diabetes, Gangrene, Problems Healing

[Lena606]

Hello,

My grandmother has been diagnosed with Diabetes and is taking medication to manage her sugar levels. She's had problems with blood circulation and has developed blood clots. She now has gangrene on her foot (two toes black), there is also a wound on her leg with liquid (wet gangrene???) She is getting antibiotic injections and painkiller injections from a doctor who comes to her home. She is in a different country, however, and medical care is poor. They do have an appointment to see a doctor in 4 days to discuss options but she refuses to get an amputation if that's suggested.

1. If this is indeed wet gangrene, isn't 4 days way too long to wait to seek medical care????
2. My family is under impression that antibiotics will help fight the infection and turn wet gangrene into dry. Is that possible or is it just false hope?
3. Are there any other options beside amputation or surgery? I was told that because her wounds have trouble healing, a surgery would be risky. What does that mean???
4. What is the most appropriate method of treating wet gangrene in a diabetic patient?
5. What information is needed to properly access the situation for best treatment?

Please help.

Thank you.




This discussion is related to Navicular Fracture- Swelling is Spreading- Help!.

[TriciaSimm]

The black toes are probably gone but I really believe in maggot therapy for many reasons.  They eat only dead tissue (they even take care of antibiotic resistant infections).  Maggot therapy stimulates blood flow to the area and help healing.  I do not know if your area does maggot therapy but it is saving many peoples fingers, hands, feet, and legs.

[zhongy2]

hi, you should consider your grandmom lucky that that they have scheduled an appointment to discuss treatment options in 4 days.  in some countries..especially 3rd world country, it would takes weeks/months before they can be seen.  Actually even here in the western countries, it takes a while too.  if it is not life threatening, it generally takes approximately 1 week to months before the doctors/specialists can see them. Unfortunately, this is the nature of the health care.  

If the antibotic works, then it would limit the spread of the wound.  with wet gangrene, it is necessary to have debridement done (meaning that they need to cut away the dead tissues), so that it can limit spread of wound and clear the infection a bit.  if that doesn't do it, and the infection is getting worst,  amputation would be considered.

diabetic has a slower circulation therefore, it will be harder for their incision sites to heal.  Even if they can clear the infection by surgery, the cut that they made with surgery might not heal well either, that's why they mean when they said surgery is risky.