Mumin KARAHAN, Oya Olcay OZDES, Soner KINA, Huseyin TURKAN, Mukadder SANLI, Ekrem OZDEMIR
Medicine Science - 2026;15(2):754-760
Diabetic foot (DF) represents a serious complication of diabetes mellitus that often requires surgical intervention. The management of anesthesia can be particularly challenging due to the frequent presence of comorbidities and the associated risks of both general and spinal anesthesia. Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) offer a promising alternative, enhancing hemodynamic stability during the perioperative period and providing better postoperative pain relief. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 66 patients who underwent DF surgery with ultrasound-guided PNB at a tertiary care center. We analyzed data on demographics, type of anesthesia, opioid consumption, ICU admissions, mortality, and length of hospital stay. The average age of participants was 73.35 +/- 12.80 years, with 77.3% being male. Regional anesthesia, specifically femoral-popliteal blocks, was employed in 36.4% of the cases. Patients who received PNB demonstrated a significantly reduced need for opioids postoperatively (p<0.001) and had lower rates of ICU admissions compared to those who received general anesthesia. Mortality rates were significantly linked to higher ASA scores (p=0.004), but did not correlate with the type of anesthesia used (p=0.175). Ultrasound-guided PNBs contribute to enhanced hemodynamic stability, lower opioid usage, and reduced ICU admissions for DF surgery, particularly in patients at high risk with elevated ASA scores. These results advocate for the integration of PNB as the standard anesthetic method to improve perioperative outcomes and minimize complications.
