To explore the effect of pulsatile lavage on wound healing in diabetic foot ulcer patients.

The random number table method was used to divide 86 patients of diabetic foot ulcers into two groups with 43 patients in each group. The control group disinfected and cleaned the wound by routine methods, while the experimental group received closed pulse irrigation with sewage collection unit. The two groups were debridement, dressing selection and wound dressing in a unified way. The frequency of dressing change, time of dressing change, efficacy, cost of dressing changes, score of wound pain and wound healing were observed.

The frequency of dressing change, dressing change time, wound healing time and total effective rate of the experimental group were (10.42±1.92) times, (12.19±2.37) min, (32.53±6.91) d and 86.04% (37/43), respectively, while those of the control group were (19.47±3.13) times, (21.65±3.99) min, (43.17±13.72) d and 51.16% (22/43), with statistically significant differences (t values were 4.545-16.127, χ² value was 13.214, all P < 0.01). However, the cost of dressing change in the experimental group was (3 278.78±220.92) yuan, and that in the control group was (3 195.75±206.54) yuan. There was no significant difference between the two groups (t value was -1.814, P > 0.05). The pain scores were (1.47±1.09), (0.57±0.72), (0.06±0.23), (0.003±0.01) points in the experimental group at the 2nd week,the 4th week,the 6th week and the 8th week after intervention, and they were (3.83±1.16), (2.73±1.41), (1.92±1.06), (1.43±0.70) points respectively in the control group, the differences were statistically significant (F_time=390.663, F_intergroup=76.011, F_interaction=4.210, all P < 0.01). The wound healing rates were (49.34±9.34)%, (86.26±13.33)%, (95.01±8.56)%, (97.28±3.62)% respectively in the experimental group in the 2nd week,the 4th week,the 6th week and the 8th week after intervention,while in the control group they were (26.64±5.19)%, (50.37±10.53)%, (64.84±12.27)% and (72.04±12.96)%. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (F_time=354.487, F_intergroup= 921.230, F_interaction =23.154, all P < 0.01).

Pulsatile lavage can effectively clean the wound, reduce the frequency of dressing change, shorten the time of dressing change and wound healing, reduce the wound pain, improve the wound healing rate of diabetic foot ulcers, and did not increase the economic burden of patients, which was worthy of clinical application.

Pulsatile lavage; Wound cleaning; Debridement; Diabetic foot; Ulcer