Effect of citric acid dressing on wound healing of diabetic foot ulcer

Aims: The study aim was to assess the effect of Citric acid dressing on wound healing of diabetic foot ulcer and to identify the association of wound healing with the selected demographic and clinical variables among the patients with diabetic foot ulcer. 
Materials and Methods: Totally sixty patients admitted in surgical wards with diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcer were included in the study. Diabetic patients who were sensitive to citric acid and non-diabetic foot ulcer were excluded from the study. The tool used for the study was Modified Bates Jensen’s Wound assessment tool and data was collected by observation method.  The wound dressing was carried by using 3% citric acid solution upto 21 days daily once. The wound was assessed before and after citric acid dressing on 8th day, 15th day and 22nd day. 
Results: Out of sixty patients, nine (15%) patients had critical wound status and 51 (85%) had moderate level wound healing status on the 15th day assessment after citric acid dressing. On the 22nd day assessment after citric acid dressing, only two(3.3%) patients had critical wound status, four (6.7%) had moderate level wound, 53 (88.3%) had mild level wound and one (1.7%) patient had minimal level wound. In pre-assessment on 1st day all patients had critical wound status.  In post assessment, after 21 day of citric acid dressing, majority of the patients had mild wound status. 
Conclusion: There was good response to citric acid dressing on wound healing of diabetic foot ulcer. Citric acid solution dressing is more effective on wound healing of diabetic foot ulcer. It is simple and the better than other dressing solution used for diabetic wound dressing.