ABSTRACT
To determine the extent of vasculopathy in patients with diabetic foot using Doppler ultrasound scanning. This descriptive study was carried out in Surgical Unit III, Civil Hospital, Karachi from January 2004 to December 2005. All patients having diabetic foot complications including abscess formation, cellulitis, ulceration and gangrene were included in the study after taking informed consent. Peripheral pulses like posterior tibial, dorsalis pedis, and popliteal arteries were checked. The presence of vasculopathy was checked with Doppler scanning of dorsalis pedis artery, posterior tibial artery, popliteal artery and veins. The data was collected on a proforma that was specially designed for this study. Out of the total 30 patients included in this study, vasculopathy was detected in 19 [63.33%] patients. The pulse was clinically weak in 10 [33.33%] and absent in 7 [23.33%] patients, while the Doppler scan revealed that in 17 [56.66%] cases the dorsalis pedis artery and in 19 [63.33%] the posterior tibial artery was involved. These findings were asymmetrical i.e. they were mostly found in the affected limb, with a male preponderance. This study shows that the vasculopathy is strong independent risk factor in the development of diabetic foot lesions. The usual symptoms and signs of lower limb ischemia may not be present and indeed may be misleading in diabetic foot disease