title: Unna's boot vs polyurethane foam dressings for the treatment of venous ulceration. A randomized prospective study.
abstract: Recent reports have suggested that polyurethane foam dressings provide a more rapid and comfortable healing of venous stasis cutaneous ulcerations than standard semirigid impregnated gauze dressings. This multi-institutional study consists of a randomized, prospective comparison of 36 consecutive patients who were treated with either polyurethane foam dressings (group 1, n = 17) or Unna's boot (group 2, n = 19) for venous ulceration of the lower extremities. Ulcer size ranged from 6.0 to 270 cm2 (mean, 32.2 cm2) for group 1 and 0.2 to 600 cm2 (mean, 76.0 cm2) for group 2. Nine (52.9%) of 17 group 1 patients withdrew from the study due to wound odor, while there was 100% compliance in group 2. Overall wound healing was superior in group 2 (18 [94.7%] of 19) as compared with group 1 (7 [41.2%] of 17) (chi 2 = 8.2). The rate of healing was also better in group 2 (0.5 cm2/d) than in group 1 (0.07 cm2/d). Contrary to published European trials, impregnated gauze dressings exhibited superior treatment results when compared with polyurethane foam dressings in the current study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Cleveland, Veteran's Administration Medical Center, OH.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Plecha
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marman
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011140:Polyurethanes; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes; C040003:Synthaderm