Metagenomics of diabetic foot ulcer undergoing treatment with total contact casting: a case study

What is it about?

Lower extremity complications of diabetes, including diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), represent a significant burden on patients, providers, and the health system at large. While many DFUs respond favorably to offloading in the form of total contact casting (TCC), little is understood about the metagenomics of these wounds as they progress from chronic to healed. This case study presents one example of a patient undergoing treatment for a chronic DFU with TCC. Each week during treatment, the wound was observed for signs of healing and metagenomic analysis was performed. Notably, the metagenomic characteristics changed over the course of treatment until complete wound closure was achieved.

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Why is it important?

Better understanding of the metagenomics of chronic DFUs could lead to improved outcomes and decrease complications from diabetes such as lower extremity amputation (LEA).