title: Venous ulcers: etiology and care of patients treated with human skin equivalent grafts.
abstract: Care for a patient with a venous ulcer is complex, necessitating collaboration of a multidisciplinary team to achieve the goal of providing comprehensive wound care and optimally managing complications, current conditions, and healing time. Patients often have venous ulcers for a long time, and they frequently have multiple diagnoses. Chronic ulcers that do not heal necessitate closure with a graft. Apligraf, (Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp, East Hanover, NJ), a human skin equivalent, is often used in nonhealing or difficult-to-heal ulcers. Knowledge of how to care for the grafted wound and protection of the grafted site is essential.
authors.affiliation: University of North Dakota College of Nursing, Grand Forks 58202-9025, USA.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Langemo
mesh_terms: D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010348:Patient Care Team; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing*; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*