medical decision support medical decision support
Sign In

Diabetic Foot Ulcer Wound Score

Purpose: To evaluate a diabetic foot ulcer using the wound score of Strauss and Aksenov.

Description

Strauss and Aksenov developed a wound score for describing a diabetic food ulcer. This can be used during the initial assessment and for monitoring the response to therapy. The authors are from Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California and the University of Florida at Gainesville.


Parameters:

(1) appearance of the wound base

(2) size

(3) depth

(4) microbiological bio-burden

(5) perfusion

 

Parameter

Finding

Points

appearance of wound base

red

2

 

white or yellow

1

 

thin, nonfluctuant eschar

1

 

black (with gangrene or fluctuant eschar)

0

size

less than the surface area of the patient's thumb print

2

 

size of the thumb print to fist size

1

 

larger than fist size

0

depth

skin or subcutaneous tissue

2

 

muscle and/or tendon

1

 

bone and/or joint

0

microbiological bio-burden

colonization of surface

2

 

cellulitis and/or macerated edges

1

 

septic

0

perfusion

palpable pulses

2

 

pulse detected on Doppler ultrasound as triphasic or diphasic

1

 

pulse detected on Doppler ultrasound as monophasic

0

 

no pulse on Doppler

0

 

where:

• The higher the point assignment the better for the patient.

• The size of the wound includes any undermining, recesses and/or tunneling.

• The depth of the wound is based on the maximum depth on probing.

• Sepsis may be indicated by unstable blood sugars, leukocytosis, hypotension and/or positive blood cultures.

 

total wound score =

= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)

 

Interpretation:

• minimum wound score: 0

• maximum wound score: 10

• The higher the score the better it is for the patient.


To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.

Specialty

Objective

ICD-10