Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent endocrinal disorder in Saudi Arabia. Diabetic foot ulceration occurs in about one fifth of diabetics, and significantly increase the risk of gangrene and amputation. Early and proper foot care is essential to prevent such deleterious complication. Objectives: the aim of this review is to study the knowledge and attitude about foot care among diabetics in Saudi Arabia and its impact on prevention of amputation. Methods: To achieve this aim, online database was searched for articles reporting knowledge and/or attitude of Saudi patients about foot care. Results yielded from this search were quickly inspected, the titles and abstract were quickly read to select related studies. Results: Up to one fifth of diabetic patients had poor knowledge about their foot care, and in spite of regular checkups, they lacked awareness of signs and symptoms of diabetic foot infection. However, when educational programs were implemented, complications rate has significantly declined. Discussion: Previous literature studies indicated that Saudi diabetic patients had moderate to poor knowledge about their illness in general. Most of them are not adequately educated about the complications of their illness, and how to deal with them. However, when engaged in systematic educational programs, they were highly responsive and compliant and their new adopted attitude and knowledge about the illness decreased their amputation as well as other complications rate.

No abstract

Cholecystolithiasis and its complications remain to be one of the leading burdens in general surgery which require surgical intervention in majority of cases. In Saudi Arabia, this pathology has huge impact on its health system and society. In current management of acute and chronic cholecystitis as a result of cholecystolithisis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a procedure of choice. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the incidence of cholecystitis as the complication of cholecystolithiasis in central rural area of Saudi Arabia with relatively large population and analyze current management outcome in selected group of patients, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure. Multiple criteria including demographics, results of investigations and surgical outcome were analyzed and compared. The incidence of acute cholecystitis in this study was 4.4/100,000 of population per year with prevalence of 24% and female to male ratio 11.9:1. The results demonstrated satisfactory surgical outcomes with low complications rate and cost effectiveness.