Tapas Kumar Rout1, Nithin Soodan2, Chinmaya RR Mohapatra3, S. Jaganath Subudhi4, Saroj Kumar Panda5
BACKGROUND
Diabetic foot ulcer is a devastating complication of diabetes mellitus. The life time risk of developing an ulcer is estimated to be 15%. In a developing country like India, it is important to decrease the morbidity of such patients who if otherwise unchecked will lead on to amputation of the affected extremity and thereby increasing the disability status of the patient and thereby decreasing the overall health status of the country. This study compares the efficacy of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) dressing over conventional saline/povidone iodine dressing of diabetic ulcers and elicits a faster rate of ulcer healing with PRP dressing.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) over moist sterile saline povidone iodine dressing in diabetic foot ulcers– a randomized controlled study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
60 diabetic patients with foot ulcers from the department of general surgery, were prospectively studied. Detailed clinical history, evaluation of ulcer and presence of wound infection were assessed for all the patients.
RESULTS
PRP dressings were done in 30 patients and saline/povidone iodine dressings were done in 30 patients. It was found that there was a better reduction in area of the ulcer at the end of four weeks in patients who received platelet rich plasma dressings than in moist saline/povidone iodine dressings.
CONCLUSION
Being an autologous preparation there is no risk of allergic reactions and PRP dressing is safe as it just accelerates and concentrates the normal healing process. Readymade preparations are today available in the names of PLERMIN (Becaplermin) but these are quite expensive and does not match the cost effectiveness of treatment because Diabetes Mellitus was always a disease of the rich but Diabetic Ulcer is always a disease of the poor and middle class. Hence the use of autologous PRP in the application of treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcer should be encouraged and research is ongoing to find more effective growth factor related treatment options which ensures less duration of hospital stay for the patient and also faster healing
