Diabetes is associaed with increased atherosclerosis, microangiopathy, infections and decreasecd wound-healing tensile strength. The evidence that hyperglycemia itself accelerates these complications, or that tight control of blood sugar levels decrease the rapidity of the progression of microan-giopathic disease is very suggestive but not definitive. Perioperative management of the diabetic patient may affect surgical outcome. Here in is a case report and a review of the literature on diabetes mellitus.