Adequate standards of offloading for diabetic foot ulcers: a reflective case report of a patient with multimorbidity

This case report is related to a 61-year-old man with multimorbidity presenting with a chronic diabetic foot ulcer treated in a sub-rural hospital. The patient was treated according to the standard of care supported by national guidelines including some advanced wound therapies, without result. The interdisciplinary team concluded that the wound could not heal because of the patient’s multiple comorbidities. However, against all expectations, the patient finally healed after a strict bed rest. This case emphasises the crucial role of offloading, patient adherence and its difficulty of assessment for wound care practitioners. This is a reflective case report that demonstrates commonly the use of expensive advanced wound care therapies without positive outcomes and then the need to come back to basic treatments. Reflective practice is an important part of evidence-based practice, and a case report is a good way to engage the process.