Characteristics and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in an ambulatory care

Objectives: To characterize diabetic foot`s ulcers of patients treated at a first aid post and to investigate the treatment given to these lesions. Methods: Descriptive study with a quantitative approach, carried out in a first aid post of a university hospital, with 56 patients as subjects. For the data collection, a guideline was used, addressing sociodemographic and clinical data, characterization data and treatment data of diabetic foot ulcers. Results: The age range of individuals ranged from 38 to 84 years. It was found that 40 (71.4%) had a family record of diabetes. Regarding wound classification, 27 (34.6%) presented lesion in the plantar fascia and 20 (35.7%) presented shedding in the wound bed. Regarding the treatment, essential fatty acids were used in 45 (80.3%) of the lesions. Conclusion: Results reinforce the importance of the characterization / evaluation of the lesions to choose an effective treatment, which reduces the severity of complications.