Does the pattern of venous insufficiency influence healing of venous leg ulcers after skin transplantation?
OBJECTIVE
this study aimed to investigate the influence of venous insufficiency on results in venous leg ulcers treated with ulcer excision, meshed split-skin transplantation and correction of superficial venous insufficiency in the wound area.


METHODS
retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Copenhagen Wound Healing Center.


METHODS
in 113 patients with venous leg ulceration, examined preoperatively with colour Duplex scanning (CDS), prognostic factors of healing and recurrence within 1 year were analysed using logistic regression.


RESULTS
cumulative 1-year healing rate was 65% (73 patients) and 13 (12%) had recurrence of ulceration 1 year postoperatively. Initial ulcer size (OR: 0.97(95% CI: 0.96-0.99)), minor local superficial venous surgery (OR: 2.38 (95% CI: 1.04-5.46)), sufficient popliteal vein (2.97 (1.05-8.42)) and non-compliance with compression therapy (OR: 0.27 (95% CI: 0.11-0.71)) influenced the prognosis of healing positively. No statistically significant differences in healing and recurrence between patients with isolated superficial and mixed superficial/deep venous insufficiency was found.


CONCLUSIONS
non-healing venous leg ulcers can be treated with ulcer excision, meshed split-skin transplantation and correction of superficial venous insufficiency in the wound area with beneficial results irrespective of underlying pattern of venous insufficiency as determined by CDS.
Kjaer
M L
ML
Copenhagen Wound Healing Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark.
Jorgensen
B
B
Karlsmark
T
T
Holstein
P
P
Simonsen
L
L
Gottrup
F
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001458:Bandages; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011152:Popliteal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000601:surgery*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*