Common foot injuries which lead to amputation and foot complications in diabetic patients are known as diabetic ulcers. This often results in the hospitalization of the patient. Most of the diabetic patients have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The higher level blood pressure and cholesterol reduces the blood circulation to the feet. The poor blood circulation in patients with diabetes keeps ulcer from healing and increases the risk of infection.

Diabetic ulcers should be treated in time to avoid serious issues. The most common method of treatment is continues evaluation of the affected foot, maintaining blood pressure and advanced moist advanced moist wound therapy (AMWT) which include special dressings to maintain a warm environment for healing the ulcers. A group of scientists reported a new method of treatment for diabetic ulcers named negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). This new was published in the April issue of Diabetes Care and it was reported that the new therapy is more effective than the AMWT.

In the new treatment method, a vacuum system is used to deliver sub atmospheric pressure over the ulcer to remove the fluids and this will automatically helps healing of ulcer. The researchers conducted a study on 342 diabetic foot ulcer patients in an age group of around 58 years. A randomized treatment was provided for all using AMWT or NPWT. The result was NPWT treatment group achieved an ulcer closure which was far higher than in AMWT group. The level of amputation in NPWT patients was very less.

The researchers concluded that there was no major variation in treatment-related complications, such as infection between AMWT and NPWT groups. The researchers did not comment on the relative costs for each therapy.