Successful use of vacuum-assisted closure therapy for leg ulcers caused by occluding vasculopathy and inflammatory vascular diseases--a case series.
BACKGROUND
Leg ulcers caused by vasculitis, small vessel occlusion or other rare conditions often prove to be very difficult to treat. Despite polypragmatic, systemic and localized therapy, many of these wounds are progressive and characterized by severe pain.


RESULTS
We here portray the cases of 5 patients with ulcers resistant to systemic therapy for the underlying disease, who were treated successfully using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) for wound management. We present the advantages and disadvantages of this method, as well as illustrating the essential and known therapeutic principles.


CONCLUSIONS
Our experience shows VAC to be an excellent and effective alternative in the treatment of therapy-resistant chronic wounds caused by vasculopathy (small vessel occlusion or vasculitis). We did not observe any pathergy or proinflammatory effects caused by VAC.
Zutt
Markus
M
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Georg-August-Universitat Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany. mzutt@gwdg.de
Haas
Ellen
E
Kruger
Ullrich
U
Distler
Meike
M
Neumann
Christine
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications; D001458:Bandages; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017511:Pyoderma Gangrenosum / Q000150:complications; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D014618:Vacuum; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000150:complications; D014945:Wound Healing