title: Treatment of scleroderma skin ulcers using becaplermin gel and hydrocolloid membrane.
abstract: Skin ulcers can be very painful and detrimental in patients with systemic sclerosis, or systemic scleroderma. A brief review of scleroderma skin ulcers is presented, as well as a case study that demonstrates the effectiveness of becaplermin gel supplemented by oral immunosuppressive agents in the treatment of ulcers resulting from systemic sclerosis. The time to healing (approximately 3 months) was comparable to that associated with the oral agents and surgical interventions specifically designed to help heal scleroderma ulcers. Except for incisional biopsy, no surgical procedures were performed.
authors.affiliation: Fountain Valley Regional Hospital, Huntington Beach, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jerry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giacopelli
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Granoff
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D000077214:Becaplermin; D003102:Colloids; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D005782:Gels; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D020574:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000077214:Becaplermin; D011241:Prednisone