Analyzing Anesthetic Techniques in Diabetic Foot Amputation

Diabetic Foot Amputations: A Comprehensive Review of Anesthetic Procedures and Outcomes Introduction Diabetic foot is a clinical manifestation of diabetes with a wide range of symptoms, including ulceration, osteomyelitis, osteoarticular destruction, and gangrene, as a consequence of advanced disease. Some cases of diabetic foot present general indications for amputation, including dead limbs, threat to the patient's life, pain, loss of function, or nuisance. Surgical debridement or amputation is the standard treatment for this condition. Multiple debridement operations, however, have been shown in recent research to considerably improve wound healing rates, making them a potential therapeutic alternative. The majority of patients with diabetic foot ulcers are older, have had diabetes for a longer period, have numerous organ problems, and at least one comorbid ailment.

As neuraxial anesthesia, a type of regional anesthetic, does not require positive mechanical breathing and offers superior pain management, less surgical stress response, and enhanced blood flow, it should theoretically result in a better prognosis than general anesthesia. However, due to the increased incidence of macrovascular complications such as peripheral artery occlusive disease, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary heart disease in patients undergoing diabetic foot amputation, prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation is necessary. On the other hand, peripheral nerve block (PNB) shares many theoretical advantages of regional anesthesia and can be beneficial in these cases.

The goal of the research is to assess the outcomes of anesthetic procedures carried out in diabetic foot amputation cases using data from an inpatient database. The hypothesis is that peripheral nerve block will be less likely than general anesthesia to cause postoperative complications. The primary outcome is 30-day mortality following lower extremity amputation; secondary outcomes include composite morbidity from potentially fatal sequelae and hospital discharge duration.

Materials and Methods This study will be conducted using a retrospective chart review method. The study will utilize data from the medical records of patients. Medical data from patients with diabetic foot at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital between 2021 and 2023 will be included in the study. These patients will include those who have toe, ankle, or foot amputations. This research will encompass all individuals who had surgery during this time. Patients with diabetic feet who had their feet, ankles, or toes amputated will meet the inclusion criteria. Exclusion criteria will include those under the age of 18, those whose amputations were performed for reasons other than diabetic foot, and those with insufficient medical data.

Since this study will be conducted retrospectively, the choice of anesthesia method was based on clinical experience.

Using the hospital information management system, patients' medical records will be examined retrospectively. Baseline patient demographic data will include age, sex, height, weight, body mass index, nature of the procedure, smoking status, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification. Preoperative medication records will be gathered, including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, insulin, renin-angiotensin system antagonists, anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines, and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors. The patients' comorbidities will also be collected, including the presence of a wound infection, bleeding disorders, sepsis, and whether the surgery was an emergency. Additionally, the history of diabetes, the number of pack-years of smoking, and histories of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, and steroid dependence will be documented. Preoperative values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelets, creatinine, and albumin will be collected, along with details of the type of anesthesia (general, spinal, or epidural), length of surgery, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative pain ratings, and complications.

Major complications will include pneumonia (as defined by the European Perioperative Clinical Outcome guidelines), myocardial infarction (as defined by the World Health Organization), stroke (defined as a central neurologic deficit persisting postoperatively for more than 24 hours), venous thromboembolism (confirmed on imaging), delirium (confirmed by a psychiatrist), acute kidney injury (as defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes Criteria), new requirement for dialysis, surgical site infection, and re-operation. Secondary outcomes and mortality will be the primary outcome measures.

Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics will be employed to summarize the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients. The association between the type of anesthesia used and postoperative outcomes will be analyzed using the Chi-square test for categorical variables and the Student's t-test for continuous variables. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis will be conducted to estimate survival rates and compare durations of hospital stays between patients receiving different types of anesthesia. Logistic regression will be used to adjust for potential confounders and assess the impact of anesthetic techniques on postoperative complications. Results will be considered statistically significant at a p-value of less than 0.05. All statistical analyses will be performed using the hospital information management system.