Polyhexanide 0 2% in treatment of trophic foot ulcers in leprosy - preliminary study

Abstract: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which affects peripheral nerves, skin and mucous membranes. The impairment of neural function as well as sensory or sensory-motor disabilities in leprosy continue to be a problem that requires careful attention in the management of patients with the aim to avoid or minimize their progression to prevent sequelae. One of the most common characteristics of these ulcers is the tendency to chronicity, with variable therapeutic response. In this article, we shall discuss the therapeutic management of thirteen trophic leprosy ulcers in eight patients using polyhexanide 0.2% products.

Retrograde Venous Perfusion in Chronic Ulcers of Lower Limb.

Chronic foot ulcers are difficult to treat. These patients need prolong treatment which is costly and often associated with non-compliance. These patients are vulnerable to develop gangrene leading to amputation. Retrograde venous perfusion (RVP) is a new therapeutic approach which was recently introduced to the treatment of diabetic foot as an adjunctive line to systemic therapy and local therapy. It is based on principle of regional anesthesia. Recently, Latin American investigators, applied this approach to local therapy of pedal ischemia. Since then this approach was mainly employed for therapy of diabetic neuropathic pedal ulcers. In this work, the efficacy of this approach was explored in 5 group of chronic foot disorder – 1) Diabetic foot presenting as foot infection, 2) Dibetic neuropathic pedal ulcers, 3) Diabetic pedal ischemia and infection, 4) Nondiabetic post traumatic foot ulcers, 5) Non-diabetic ischemic ulcer and pre-gangrene or gangrene. The present study was conducted on 56 patients having non healing ulcer of lower limb. Regular dressing and debridment and retrograde venous perfusion therapy was done in all patients. Results were assessed after completion of therapy. The following conclusions are drawn from the present study. Out of all diabetic patients, 23.7% of cases presented as diabetic foot. The incidence of diabetic foot patients was 64.29% out of all studied patients with ulcer foot. Maximum number of patients, 28.57% were in 31-40 years age group. The mean age of the patients was 44.4 years. There was male predominance with male and female ratio being 1.55:1. Mean reduction of ulcer size after RVP therapy was 63.89%. Maximum improvement was found in patients with diabetic pedal ischemia and infection i.e. 70% where as patients with non diabetic post traumatic foot ulcers had minimum improvement i.e. 52.22%. Whole foot or more than 4 toe amputation was not required in any patient in therapy group. After RVP therapy gangrene or pre-gangrene was prevented in 72.73% of patients. Minimum days of stay was 11-15 days in 32.14% of patients. Average duration of hospital stay was 18 days. Patients with foot ulcer in whom RVP therapy was not done, average duration of hospital stay was 31 days. This denotes that RVP reduces the time of therapy an avoids prolonged treatment. The ratio of diabetic and non-diabetic patients with neuropathy was 2.5:1. In Doppler ultrasound study, patients with sign of ischemia, ankle-brachial pressure index was less than 0.6 in 22 patients, out of them 16 patients were diabetic. After RVP therapy 93.33% of diabetic foot patients and 80% of non-diabetic foot ulcer patients ankle-brachial ratio became more then 0.8 denoting that after RVP therapy the blood flow in lower limb was increased. The present study confirms the good result in respect to decrease in ulcer size, overcome critical complications which are threatening the foot, early healing of ulcer, increase blood flow in ischemic foot, check progression of gangrene and pre-gangrene and to conserve the foot to avoid amputation. This study entailed expansion of the application of RVP to intractable post-traumatic ulcers of the foot and lower leg, as well as, to critical pedal ischemia in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Avaliação da cicatrização estimulada por aceleradores em pacientes adultos com hanseníase portadores de úlceras plantares / Evaluation of wound healing stimulated by accelerators, in adult patients with leprosy and plantar ulcers

Para medir o tempo de cicatrização estimulada por aceleradores, em pacientes adultos com hanseníase portadores de úlceras plantares, trataram-se 52 clientes acometidos por úlceras. O tratamento, feito com curativos à base de alginato, hidrocolóide e colágeno, foi padronizado em função da fisiologia e das necessidades de cicatrização das feridas. Após o tratamento padrão, o tempo de cicatrização variou de 3 a 125 semanas. A maior parte da amostra, 26 pacientes (50,1 %), apresentou cicatrização entre 6 e 10 semanas. O tempo médio de cicatrização foi de 19 semanas e a mediana foi de 9 semanas. A amostra foi descrita em função das diversas variáveis que são relatadas na literatura como intervenientes na cicatrização. Estas variáveis foram tabuladas em função do tempo de cicatrização e os resultados encontrados discutidos e analisados. O índice de sucesso do procedimento padrão foi de 98%, pois das 52 úlceras tratadas, apenas uma não cicatrizou.

A pilot study on the effects of a polyherbal formulation cream on diabetic foot ulcers.

Background & objectives: Diabetic foot ulcers are the most common cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in developing countries. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the safety of using a polyherbal formulation in healing diabetic foot ulcers in comparison with standard silver sulphadiazine cream among patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A total of 40 (M:F=29:14) consecutive type 2 diabetes patients with foot ulcers were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to two groups of 20 each; Group 1 was treated with polyherbal formulation and group 2 with silver sulphadiazine cream. All the patients were followed up for a period of 5 months. The baseline ulcer size was noted and photograph of the wound was taken at the baseline and at each follow up visit. Number of days taken for healing of the wound was recorded. Results: The mean age of patients, duration of diabetes and HbA1c% were similar in both the study groups. The mean length and width of the ulcers was also similar in both the groups at baseline visit. There was a significant decrease in the size of the wound (length and width) in both the study groups (P<0.001). The mean time taken for the healing of the ulcer was around 43 days in both groups. Interpretation & conclusions: Diabetic wound cream prepared by using polyherbal formulation was found to be effective as well as safe in healing diabetic foot ulcers like the standard silver sulphadiazine cream.

Immunomodulatory role of Tinospora cordifolia as an adjuvant in surgical treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diabetic patients with wounds have deficient growth factors and impaired local and systemic cellular immunity. Treatment with growth factors is expensive with risk of infection transmission and these factors may not achieve optimum wound concentration. We evaluated the role of generalized immunomodulation in diabetic ulcers by using Tinospora cordifolia as an adjuvant therapy and studied its influence on parameters/determinants of healing, on bacterial eradication and on polymorphonuclear phagocytosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective double-blind randomized controlled study lasting for over 18 months in 50 patients. The ulcer was classified by wound morphology and severity with Wound Severity Score (Pecoraro-Reiber system). Mean ulcer area, depth and perimeter were measured and swabs taken for culture. Blood was collected to assess polymorphonuclear % phagocytosis (PMN function by Lehrer-Cline C. albicans method). Medical therapy, glycemic control, debridement, wound care were optimized. At 4 weeks, parameters were reassessed. PMN function was reviewed at 3 months. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS: Forty-five patients completed the trial: study group - 23 (M:F = 17:1; mean age = 56.3 years; mean ulcer duration = 21.1 days); control group 22 (M:F = 19:3; mean age = 56.3 years; mean ulcer duration = 30.4 days). Net improvement was seen in 17 patients (73.9%) in the study group; while in the control group, in 13 patients (59.1%); P = 0.292. Specific parameters included rate of change of ulcer area - cm(2) /day (study - 0.15; control - 0.07; P = 0.145); rate of change of ulcer perimeter - mm/day (study - 0.09; control = - 0.07; P = 0.089); change of depth - mm (study - 2.2; control - 1.4; P = 0.096); change of wound score (study - 14.4; control - 10.6; P = 0.149); total number of debridements (study - 1.9; control - 2.5; P = 0.03) and change in % phagocytosis (study - 3.9; control - 2.3; P = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Diabetic patients with foot ulcers on T. cordifolia as an adjuvant therapy showed significantly better final outcome with improvement in wound healing. Reduced debridements and improved phagocytosis were statistically significant, indicating beneficial effects of immunomodulation for ulcer healing.

Ulceras venosas de miembros inferiores: fisiopatogenia, Manifestaciones clinicas y tratamiento / Venous leg ulcers

Muchos médicos encuentran que las úlceras venosas es una patología de difícil manejo. Esta enfermedad no es rara y su tratamiento varía según las características de la úlcera y del paciente. Presentamos una revisión de la literatura en la que se incluyeron aspectos de su fisiopatogenia, semiología, diagnóstico y tratamiento

Bacteriological study of pus isolates from neuropathic plantar ulcers associated with acute inflammatory phase.

In this retrospective study, sensitivity of organisms cultured from ulcers of leprosy patients without and with diabetes mellitus, diabetic patients without leprosy and patients with ulcers from other causes was examined. The profile of organisms grown from these groups of patients did not differ significantly. However, there was a high prevalence of organisms like Proteus, E. coli and Enterococcus in the ulcers of leprosy patients indicating faecal contamination of the ulcers. Co-trimaxazole and tetracycline were of little value in the treatment of these ulcers. We therefore recommend that in situations where there is no culture facility, the patients be started on a course of penicillin and gentamycin. If these antibiotics fail, it would be necessary to use more advanced antibiotics like norfloxacin, amikacin and ciprofloxacin.

The use of topical phenytoin as an adjunct to immobilization in the treatment of trophic leprosy ulcers.

A total of 30 leprosy patients (controls n = 16; topical phenytoin n = 14) with trophic ulcers on the feet were investigated to ascertain the efficacy of topical phenytoin powder in the healing of ulcers. The ulcers in the two groups were matched for initial size. Healing patterns were assessed by determining changes in depth and planar (surface) dimensions at weekly intervals over a three week study period. Results indicate that while immobilization of the ulcer site is effective in promoting ulcer healing, additional use of topical phenytoin accelerates the healing process. There may however be non-responders to topical phenytoin.