title: Treatment of the leg ulcers by skin grafting.
abstract: The ulcers, located below the knees and remaining for 6 weeks and more, are called trophic leg ulcers. The leg ulcers of different etiology disable 0.8-1% of total Earth population. It was found that blood vessel problems in legs account for more than 80% of ulcers; even 65% from these are caused by venous diseases. In Lithuania about 8000 patients suffer from venous trophic ulcers. Regardless of modern methods the treatment of leg ulcers remains an extremely expensive process. The treatment cost of trophic ulcers is the highest of all surgical wounds and also requires a lot of personal investments. In order to assess the efficiency of autodermoplastics in the treatment of large venous ulcers in legs a prospective study was carried out of 111 patients who were treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns of Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital from January 2001 to January 2004. The data was analyzed exceptionally of the operated 54 patients with venous origin ulcers open for more 6 months or exceeding 50 cm2. The above-mentioned patients were prepared for surgery by dressing the wounds with hydrocolloid Granuflex bandages and were operated by transplanting a 0.2-0.3 mm thick skin graft. The results were estimated by the surgeon during the dressings after the operation. The graft was taken in 35 (64.81%) cases; in 19 (35.19%) cases the graft was partially not taken and there were no cases when it was not taken at all. We came to the conclusions that skin graft transplantation is efficient in treatment of trophic venous leg ulcers larger than 50 cm2 and cures the trophic leg ulcers of vein origin completely in 2-3 weeks for 64.81% patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery and Burns, Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Eiveniu 2, 50010 Kaunas, Lithuania. vjankunas@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vytautas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jankūnas
authors.forename: Rytis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rimdeika
authors.forename: Loreta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pilipaityte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001458:Bandages; D003102:Colloids; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006401:Hematologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006896:Hydroxyethylrutoside / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014647:Varicose Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D006401:Hematologic Agents; D006896:Hydroxyethylrutoside; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; C005865:troxerutin; D010431:Pentoxifylline