title: [Reduced fibrinolytic activity in the marginal zones of decubital ulcers].
abstract: Healing of decubital ulcers is, in contrast to that in other skin wounds, protracted. The reason for this is still unknown. The microscopic findings show the typical picture of a chronic ulcer with prominent scar tissue. To investigate the fibrinolytic activity of the ulcer margin and the adjacent skin tissue, samples of 13 ulcers were obtained and incubated on fibrin plates using the technique of PERMIN, ASTRUP and MULLERTZ. Lytic activity is expressed as mm2 of the lysed fibrin spots. In the border zone (1.5 mm zone), fibrinolytic activity was significantly reduced (12.7 mm2) as compared with the activity of the 9 mm zone (38.1 mm2) of the adjacent skin. Skin samples at a distance of 12 mm from the ulcer border still exhibited significantly lower fibrinolytic activity (39.4 mm2) than normal skin (71.5 mm2). The significantly lower fibrinolytic activity of the ulcer border in decubital ulcers may contribute to the poor healing tendency and indicates a decreased microcirculation. The fibrinolytic activity test offers an objective test of therapeutic principles.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D006801:Humans; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Verminderte fibrinolytische Aktivität in Randzonen von Dekubitalulzera.