1/19. Controlling the pain of venous leg ulceration.Compression therapy can often exacerbate the pain of venous leg ulceration. A pain management programme using a team approach to care can promote compliance with compression therapy. nurses need to be sensitive and responsive to an individual's pain.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/19. Infiltrating basal cell carcinoma in the setting of a venous ulcer.A 77-year-old man was referred with a 5-year history of an intermittently painful, nonhealing right medial ankle ulcer. The ulcer had not responded to multiple treatment modalities, including Unna boots, compression therapy, sclerotherapy, and split-thickness skin grafting. The past medical history was significant for a deep venous thrombosis in the right leg 30 years earlier (treated with warfarin for 3 months) and a history of greater saphenous vein harvesting for coronary bypass grafting 28 years previously. After the vein stripping, the patient had suffered from increasing right leg edema and stasis changes in the right leg. His history was also remarkable for coronary artery disease, dyslipidemia, and lymphoma treated with chemotherapy 8 years before presentation, with no evidence of recurrence. He had stopped smoking approximately 20 years earlier. Medications included atenolol, simvastatin, nicardipine, nitroglycerin, and aspirin. skin examination revealed a 3.0 x 3.5-cm ulcer adjacent to the medial malleolus. The edges of the ulcer appeared raised and rolled (Fig. 1). Centrally, there was granulation tissue, which appeared healthy. There were surrounding dermatitic changes. Dorsalis pedis and the posterior tibial pulses were normal. Noninvasive vascular studies revealed severe venous incompetence of the right popliteal and superficial veins. Arterial studies and transcutaneous oximetry were normal. Computed tomographic scan of the pelvis did not reveal any adenopathy, and radiographic imaging did not reveal any bony changes suggestive of osteomyelitis. biopsy of the ulcer edge and base showed infiltrating basal cell carcinoma (Fig. 2). Mohs' micrographic surgery required three layers; the final extent of the ulcer was 7.8 x 6.9 cm. A split-thickness skin graft was placed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/19. Case study: a unique approach to compliance in a patient with venous ulcers.lower extremity venous ulcers affect 500,000 to 700,000 Americans, with a 10-week outpatient treatment cost of $1327 to $5289. recurrence rates are reported as 57% within 10.4 months. Many types of treatments are available, but the most successful treatment continues to be the most basic-elevation and compression. Innovative ideas to increase patient compliance can be the key to successful therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/19. Improving the treatment of leg ulcers.Treatment of leg ulcers is often inadequate, with delayed diagnosis, overuse of antibiotics, and insufficient or inadequate use of compression therapy. Ulcers caused by arterial insufficiency will not heal unless the blood flow is improved. Ulcers caused by venous insufficiency will usually heal within a few months with appropriate compression therapy. Compression can be applied with stockings, bandages, or a pump. Class 2 compression stockings are required for treatment of ulcers; TED stockings and Class 1 stockings do not provide adequate compression. A four-layer compression bandage can be used if a patient cannot manage stockings. Applying the bandage with the correct pressure is a skill developed from practice. A pump can be used if neither stockings nor bandages are suitable. However, it must be used for six hours a day, which precludes use by active patients. An ulcer that does not heal with three months of adequate compression therapy requires further investigation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/19. Prevention of venous ulceration by use of compression after deep vein thrombosis.Venous ulcers may result from damage to the lining of the veins after an occurrence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). As the pressure in the damaged venous system remains pathologically high, a result of DVT, swelling develops, hemosiderin staining develops around the ankle area, and varicosities often develop. These symptoms are part of the postphlebitic syndrome and are a precursor to formation of the chronic venous ulcer. The mainstay of treatment or prevention for venous ulcers remains compression therapy. In spite of the evidence that compression is necessary to reduce edema and allow the ulcer to heal, many patients still are not using compression after DVT to prevent ulcer formation. This article describes the prevalence, cost, etiology, and pathophysiology of postphlebitic syndrome and presents the nursing intervention of compression therapy as an ulcer prevention strategy for the patient with DVT. A variety of compression strategies are discussed. A case study of a patient in need of compression therapy is presented.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 10keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/19. A new cohesive short-stretch bandage and its application.The undisputed optimum treatment for venous leg ulcers is compression therapy, where an external appliance (multilayer, short-stretch bandaging and compression hosiery) promotes venous return through graduated compression of the tissues and capillaries. However, this is not always acceptable to the patient, particularly when the patient's social life is affected with malodour and pain associated with venous leg ulcers, thereby reducing quality of life. There is a psychosocial consideration when the bandaging system is bulky, hot and difficulty is found with the fitting of shoes. An alternative and clinically effective solution is essential if the wound is to heal. In this case study, the patient was provided with a cohesive and short-stretch compression bandage (Actico), which allowed her to continue her social life while effectively treating her ulcer.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/19. Measured improvement in rate of healing of venous ulceration.This case study describes a pivotal intervention associated with improved wound appearance and healing rate in a young, active woman with extensive venous stasis ulcers. These extensive ulcerations were heavily exudative and covered by a layer of yellow eschar. Yellow eschar and drainage were successfully managed with a capillary dressing (Vacutex), which promoted therapeutic compression as applied by standard dressings. This case provides data in favour of wound care protocols featuring Vacutex, specifically designed to address the consequences that wound drainage and eschar have in dramatically large venous stasis ulcers.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/19. Cohesive short stretch bandages in the treatment of venous leg ulceration.These two case studies report how a cohesive short-stretch bandage was employed to promote venous leg ulcer healing. The two patients were obese and in addition had champagne bottle shaped legs. The cohesive short-stretch bandage was applied following the shape of the leg. By using a cohesive short-stretch bandage this provided bandage stability. This sustained compression resulted in oedema and pain reduction and promoted wound healing.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/19. proteus syndrome.A 34-year-old male patient was referred with a recalcitrant leg ulcer overlying an extensive vascular malformation, which had led several times to septic soft tissue infections. During his infancy he had been diagnosed to have Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Clinical examination revealed asymmetric hypertrophy of the lower extremities, an extensive portwine stain on the more severely affected left limb as well as prominent venous varicosities of both legs. Hands and feet showed striking cerebriform palmoplantar hypertrophy, and macrodactily with syndactily of several fingers. All toes had been amputated in early childhood due to extreme overgrowth and currently the patient walked on his forefeet in a prominent pes equinus deformity. Further symptoms consisted in several lipomas at both arms, another portwine stain at the left hemithorax and a single cafe-au-lait spot at the left scapula. Angio-magnetic resonance imaging scans of both legs showed an extensive venous-lymphatic vascular malformation involving the whole subcutis and infiltrating the muscle. The chronic wound was interpreted as venous stasis ulceration. Local percutaneous sclerotherapy of the dilated veins underneath the ulcer was discussed, but considered to carry a relevant risk of skin necrosis with consecutive progression of the wound. A conventional split-skin graft led to complete wound healing. Since, the patient consequently wears custom-made compression stockings and remained free from recurrences. The syndromatic constellation of palmoplantar overgrowth, multiple lipomas, giant fingers and toes, limb overgrowth, venous-lymphatic malformation and a cafe-au-lait spot led to the diagnosis of proteus syndrome. The possible aetiology, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis and management of this rare disorder are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/19. fibrinogen adsorption--a new treatment option for venous leg ulcers?The initial element in the causation of venous ulceration is a disturbance of venous blood flow that leads to an increase in venous pressure. Eventually, however, it is the microcirculatory consequences of venous hypertension that lead to trophic skin changes and finally to ulceration. A reduction in blood viscosity results in an improvement at the microcirculatory level. The elimination of fibrinogen from plasma improves blood viscosity. This case report concerns a 75-year-old woman with venous ulcers of both legs (left lower leg: deep ulceration with a surface area of 3 x 5 cm; right lower leg: superficial, confluent ulceration with a total surface area of 5 x 10 cm). The patient underwent 20 sessions of fibrinogen adsorption, while simultaneously continuing with a regimen of conservative measures (activated charcoal cloth dressing with silver, calcium alginate dressings and short-stretch compression bandages). Following binding to a peptide (Gly-Pro-Arg-Pro-Lys), fibrinogen and fibrin were specifically removed from the patient's plasma: her fibrinogen concentration was lowered from an original mean level of 310 mg/dl (SD /- 104 mg/dl) to 136 mg/dl (SD /- 54 mg/dl), and there was no return to the baseline concentration by the time of the next fibrinogen adsorption session. In response to this treatment the patient's ulcers healed rapidly within 9 weeks. dizziness and hematomas at the vascular access sites in both antecubital fossae were reported as adverse effects. A fall in hematocrit was also noted (before treatment 37% /- 1%; after treatment 35% /- 2%). This may have been caused by hemodilution due to the procedure and to cell losses during blood-plasma separation, a phenomenon that is known to occur during apheresis. This case report suggests that fibrinogen adsorption is low in adverse effects and is a useful addition to the range of treatments available for ulcers of venous etiology.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = compression (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |