This study reports the use of STIMULAN as a carrier material for vancomycin and gentamicin in the management of diabetic foot ulcers complicated by osteomyelitis. All 20 patients in the study had forefoot ulcers with underlying osteomyelitis and had failed to respond to a treatment protocol of wound debridement, systemic antibiotics and off-loading. All patients were treated surgically, sequestrae were excised, the bone was fenestrated and packed with
STIMULAN beads and primary closure was carried out. All the 20 patients healed in a median time of 5 weeks with no recurrence within 12 months. The paper reports the technique described to be a safe and effective treatment of diabetic osteomyelitis of the forefoot, believing more radical surgery has been prevented. The authors now offer this treatment to patients with midfoot and calcaneal osteomyelitis. The abstract can be read, and the full paper can be obtained
here.