Elevated costs and high one-year mortality in patients with diabetic foot ulcers after surgery.

Introduction: In Denmark, approximately 300,000 patients have a diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Recently published guidelines emphasise that health-care professionals who are in direct contact with citizens should be aware of the importance of prevention and early detection of diabetic foot ulcers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mortality, length of hospital stay and economic impact on health care in patients with acute diabetic foot ulcers who were hospitalised in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.