STUDY TO KNOW THE NEUROLOGICAL DEFICIT EXTENT IN PATIENTS HAVING DIABETIC FOOT

Objective: To determine the degree of neurological deficit in patients with diabetic foot according to neuropathy insufficiency score and nerve conduction studies. Study design: A case Series. Place and Duration: In the Surgical Unit II of Services Hospital Lahore for two year duration from March 2017 to March 2019. Methodology: This two-year study included 30 patients admitted to the Department of Surgery for the treatment of diabetic foot. Inclusion criteria were in patients aged 35-60 years with diabetic foot complications. Results: Clinically, neuropathy was detected in all patients; the disability score was mild in 3 patients (10%), moderate in 8 patients (26.66%), and severe in 19 patients (63.33%). Nerve conduction studies in these patients have shown that the sural (sensory) nerve is severely affected in all cases. Peroneal and tibial nerves (motors) were also involved in all cases, but had a variable extension. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that neuropathy is an independent and independent risk factor for the development of diabetic foot injuries. It is important to determine and measure the role of neuropathy in planning effective strategies to prevent and delay foot complications. Key Words: Diabetic foot, neuropathy