Excision and skin grafting of leg ulcers.
OBJECTIVE
Skin grafting is a simple and cheap method of treating leg ulcers, and if done in the early phase it can lower health care costs. This study analyses patients who underwent excision and skin-grafting of leg ulcers in the Department of Plastic Surgery during 1993-1995.


METHODS
Sixty-five patients were operated on; 17 of them, however, died during follow-up and were excluded from the study. The average follow-up time was 1 year 11 months (range 11 months-2 years 11 months).


RESULTS
Ninety per cent of all ulcers were cured in the course of an average hospital stay of 11 days and postoperative wound care of four and a half months. Ulcers recurred, however, in 17% of these patients during follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Skin grafting is a simple and cheap method for treating leg ulcers, and if done in the early phase it can lower health care costs. Attention should be paid to the other diseases of patients, venous or arterial insufficiency in particular, and also to cortisone intake, in order to prevent recurrences of leg ulcers after surgery.
Puonti
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H
Department of Plastic Surgery, Töölö Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. sirpa.asko-seljavaara@huch.fi
Asko-Seljavaara
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing