Economic impact of surgical debridements and lower limb amputations in diabetic patients

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) constitutes a public health problem. Objectives: Determine the frequency of surgical debridement and lower limb amputations in type 2 diabetic patients and their economic impact. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional observational study was carried out. The direct medical costs of both surgical debridement and lower limb amputations in diabetic patients at the Hospital de Clínicas, San Lorenzo were estimated during 2019. Results: The total of surgical debridement and lower limb amputations in 2019 represents the 1.9% (314/16,484) of surgical procedures performed at the Hospital de Clínicas. The total amount of expenses is 1,804,185,116 (262,541 USD), of which 172,514,000 (38,857 USD) constitute out-of-pocket expenses and 1,631,671,116 (237,437 USD) constitute expenses disbursed to the Paraguayan State through the Hospital de Clínicas de San Lorenzo. Conclusion: The complications of diabetes impose considerable costs both in out-of-pocket spending, on the health sector and on the economy in general in Paraguay, so it is necessary to re-evaluate the management of this problem taking into account the great impact that these procedures have on the lives of patients on a physical, emotional, family and social level, as well as the economic burden that the treatment entails for the Health System.