Case 159: Diabetic Foot: Outpatient Treatment of Osteomyelitis with Boot a Success after Hospital Treatments Fail

This 71 year old diabetic male presented October 15, 1987 with a nine month history of an infected callus. Intravenous antibiotic therapy during two hospitalizations elsewhere had failed to cure lesions. His ankle/arm index was 0.65 and PPG curves of his toes were flat. His doctors had removed the end of his left foot a few years earlier for a similar problem. They now were recommending similar surgery for the right foot but would not promise it would heal.

His x-ray showed osteomyelitis of his 3rd metatarsal head.

His foot was treated as an outpatient with local antibiotic injections and the Miniboot. His ulcer closed. He disappeared before a followup picture was obtained taking the success of the procedure for granted. Here he is seen almost two years later still cured.

Comments: A quick and lasting outpatient cure for a man that cost Medicare a lot of money.... it paid for the previous unsuccessful hospitalizations..