A randomized trial of surgery alone versus surgery plus compression in the treatment of venous leg ulcers in patients with primary venous insufficiency

Background/Aim.Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are a significant health problem worldwide. It is well known that VLU are difficult to treat and that they have high tendency for recurrence. Compression therapy is the preferred treatment modality but there is growing evidence that correction of underlying venous disorder in early stages of the disease in addition to compression treatment may improve ulcer healing and reduce recurrence rate. Methods. An open, prospective, randomized, single-center study, with a 6-months follow-up was performed to determine the efficacy of two different treatment modalities (surgery alone versus surgery plus compression) in the treatment of VLU in patients with primary venous insufficiency. Patients with secondary venous insufficiency and/or thrombosis were excluded from the study. Overall, 71 patients were randomized (37 men, 34 women; mean age 60 years) into two groups: the group A ? 34 patients who underwent surgical intervention (stripping) and postoperatively were treated with simple wound dressing only, and the group B ? 37 patients who underwent surgical intervention (stripping) and wore a heelless open-toed elastic class III compression device knitted in tubular form ?Tubulcus? (Laboratoires Innothera, Arcueil, France). All patients in group B were instructed to wear compression device continuously during the day and night. The study was performed at the Clinic for Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery, Clinical Centre Nis (Serbia) with primary endpoint of the study being complete ulcer healing at 180 days. Results. The healing rate was 29.41% (10/34) in the group A, and 56.76% (21/37) in the group B (p < 0.01). Mean healing time in the group A was 141 ?15 days, and in the group B it was 98 ?12 days (Log-rank life table analysis: p < 0.001). Conclusion. This study suggests that for VLU in patients with primary venous insufficiency, surgery plus compression therapy provides higher healing rate and faster healing time compared to surgery only.

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Randomized trial of medical compression stockings versus two-layer short-stretch bandaging in the management of venous leg ulcers

Phlebologie ◽

10.1055/s-0037-1622268 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 38 (04) ◽

pp. 157-163 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

A. Franek ◽

L. Brzezinska-Wcislo ◽

E. Blaszczak ◽

A. Polak ◽

J. Taradaj

Keyword(s):

Drug Therapy ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Therapy Group ◽

Long Term Results ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

Compression Stockings ◽

Venous Leg Ulcers ◽

Group A ◽

Group B ◽

Medical Compression Stockings

SummaryA prospective randomized clinical trial was undertaken to compare a medical compression stockings with two-layer short-stretch bandaging in the management of venous leg ulcers. Study endpoints were number of completely healed wounds and the clinical parameters predicting the outcome. Patients, methods: Eighty patients with venous leg ulcers were included in this study, and ultimately allocated into two comparative groups. Group A consisted of 40 patients (25 women, 15 men). They were treated with the compression stockings (25–32 mmHg) and drug therapy. Group B consisted of 40 patients (22 women, 18 men). They were treated with the short-stretch bandages (30–40 mmHg) and drug therapy, administered identically as in group A. Results: Within two months the 15/40 (37.50%) patients in group A and 5/40 (12.50%) in group B were healed completely (p = 0.01). For patients with isolated superficial reflux, the healing rates at two months were 45.45% (10/22 healed) in group A and 18.18% (4/22 healed) in group B (p = 0.01). For patients with superficial plus deep reflux, the healing rates were 27.77% (5/18 healed) in group A and 5.55% (1/18 healed) in group B (p = 0.002). Comparison of relative change of the total surface area (61.55% in group A vs. 23.66% in group B), length (41.67% in group A vs. 27.99% in group B), width (46.16% in group A vs. 29.33% in group B), and volume (82.03% in group A vs. 40.01% in group B) demonstrated difference (p = 0.002 in all comparisons) in favour of group A. Conclusion: The medical compression stockings are extremely useful therapy in enhancement of venous leg ulcer healing (both for patients with superficial and for patients who had superficial plus deep reflux). Bandages are less effective (especially for patients with superficial plus deep reflux, where the efficiency compared to the stockings of applied compression appeared dramatically low). These findings require confirmation in other randomized clinical trials with long term results.

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Radiofrequency ablation for markedly incompetent perforators versus compression therapy in the management of post-phelebtic venous ulcers: A randomized controlled trial

Vascular ◽

10.1177/17085381211010022 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 170853812110100

Author(s):

Mohamed Shukri Abdelgawad ◽

Amr M El-Shafei ◽

Hesham A Sharaf El-Din ◽

Ehab M Saad ◽

Tamer A Khafagy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Radiofrequency Ablation ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Compression Therapy ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Venous Ulcers ◽

Group A ◽

Group B ◽

To Receive

Background Venus ulcers developed mainly due to reflux of incompetent venous valves in perforating veins. Patients and methods In this randomized controlled trial, 119 patients recruited over two years, with post-phelebtic venous leg ulcers, were randomly assigned into one of two groups: either to receive radiofrequency ablation of markedly incompetent perforators (Group A, n = 62 patients) or to receive conventional compression therapy (Group B, n = 57 patients). Follow-up duration required for ulcer healing continued for 24 months post randomization. Results Statistically significant shorter time to healing (ulcer complete healing or satisfactory clinical improvement) between both groups (56 patients, 90.3% of cases in Group A versus 44 patients 77.2% of cases in Group B) over the follow-up period of 24 months was attained ( p = 0.001). Also, significantly different ulcer recurrence was recorded between both groups, 8 patients (12.9%) in Group A versus 19 patients (33.3%) in Group B ( p = 0.004). Conclusion In absence of deep venous obstruction, the monopolar radiofrequency ablation for incompetent perforators is a feasible and effective method that surpasses the traditional compression protocol for incompetent perforator-induced venous ulcers in terms of time required for healing even in the presence of unresolved deep venous valvular reflux.

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Compression Therapy Is Not Contraindicated in Diabetic Patients with Venous or Mixed Leg Ulcer

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9113709 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 3709

Author(s):

Giovanni Mosti ◽

Attilio Cavezzi ◽

Luca Bastiani ◽

Hugo Partsch

Keyword(s):

Treatment Protocol ◽

Compression Therapy ◽

Healing Time ◽

Leg Ulcer ◽

Venous Disease ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

Foam Sclerotherapy ◽

Compression Pressure ◽

A Minor

The aim of this study was to investigate if compression therapy (CT) can be safely applied in diabetic patients with Venous Leg Ulcers (VLU), even when a moderate arterial impairment (defined by an Ankle-Brachial Pressure Index 0.5–0.8) occurs as in mixed leg ulcers (MLU). Materials and methods: in one of our previous publications we compared the outcomes of two groups of patients with recalcitrant leg ulcers. Seventy-one patients were affected by mixed venous and arterial impairment and 109 by isolated venous disease. Both groups were treated by tailored inelastic CT (with compression pressure <40 mm Hg in patients with MLU and >60 mm Hg in patients with VLU) and ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) of the superficial incompetent veins with the reflux directed to the ulcer bed. In the present sub analysis of the same patients we compared the healing time of 107 non-diabetic patients (NDP), 69 with VLU and 38 with MLU) with the healing time of 73 diabetic patients (DP), 40 with VLU and 33 with MLU. Results: Twenty-five patients were lost at follow up. The results refer to 155 patients who completed the treatment protocol. In the VLU group median healing time was 25 weeks for NDP and 28 weeks in DP (p = 0.09). In the MLU group median healing time was 27 weeks for NDP and 29 weeks for DP (p = −0.19). Conclusions: when providing leg ulcer treatment by means of tailored compression regimen and foam sclerotherapy for superficial venous refluxes, diabetes has only a minor or no effect on the healing time of recalcitrant VLU or MLU.

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Advantages and limitations of the use of tractography and fMRI in the treatment of anaplastic glioma

Spravočnik vrača obŝej praktiki (Journal of Family Medicine) ◽

10.33920/med-10-2111-04 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 32-42

Author(s):

Igor Aleksandrovich Medyanik ◽

Simon Quarteng Badu

Keyword(s):

Neurological Disorders ◽

Preoperative Diagnosis ◽

Surgical Intervention ◽

Complete Resection ◽

Anaplastic Glioma ◽

Neurological Deficits ◽

Neural Pathways ◽

Histological Subtype ◽

Group A ◽

Group B

The possibility of using only tractography as a preoperative diagnosis of anaplastic glioma is limited due to its inability to show the exact functional location of the tumor; therefore, the combination of tractography and fMRI seems to be a more promising complex diagnostic method. In neurooncology, complete resection without or with minimal neurological deficit is the goal of surgical intervention. The aim of the study was to investigate the advantages and limitations of the use of tractography and fMRI in the treatment of anaplastic glioma compared to standard CT or MRI. The study involved 48 patients who were divided into two groups based on the use of fMRI and tractography: group A (24 patients) and without it — group B (24 patients). The groups were compared in terms of age, sex, histological subtype of anaplastic glioma, degree of resection, postoperative complications, and dynamics of neurological disorders. The combination of fMRI and tractography is the best preoperative diagnosis, it is safe and allows localizing neural pathways, preserve them during surgery, and reduce postoperative neurological deficits.

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Is it safe to incise skin by monopolar electrocautery? A comparative study

International Surgery Journal ◽

10.18203/2349-2902.isj20192147 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 1931

Author(s):

Nimesh B. Thakkar ◽

Pranav Patel ◽

Gautam Sonagra

Keyword(s):

Skin Incision ◽

Healing Time ◽

Skin Wound ◽

Cosmetic Result ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Study Results ◽

Group A ◽

Selection For ◽

Group B ◽

Monopolar Electrocautery

Background: The present study of evaluation of the use of electrocautery to incise the skin has been done to evaluate and assess basically. The advantages and disadvantages of the electrocautery to incise the skin when compared with that of scalpel. The results of the use of electrocautery on skin wound are then assessed to formulate the criteria for proper case selection for this procedure.Methods: A total of 100 patients were taken for this study. 50 patients underwent electrocautry monopolar mode incision (group A) who were compared with 50 scalpel incision patients (group B). Study was done from 01 January 2016 to 30 September 2017. Variables used in this study were complication like pain, lack of apposition and skin infection at the site of incision, pain, sinus formation and induration. This method was also evaluated with respect to following parameters: days of hospitalization, cosmetic result, rate of infection, wound apposition and requirement of secondary suturing.Results: As per our study, results are in favour of electrocautry by means of hemostasis. But we found that infection rate and complications are more with it. Moreover number of dressings required and hospital stay was also more with patient undergoing skin incision with electrocautry.Conclusions: For locally overlying healthy skin with no compromise of vascularity or any oedema and there is less fat, electrocautery use for skin incision can still be recommended for better cosmetic result and shorter healing time with less complication and rapid surgery.

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Treatment of Chronic Venous Ulcers Using New Four Layers Compressive Bandage Dressing

Journal of Nepal Medical Association ◽

10.31729/jnma.2782 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 53 (199) ◽

pp. 156-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kaushal K Tiwari ◽

Krishna G Shrestha ◽

Bijay Sah ◽

D.Jaypal Reddy

Keyword(s):

Compression Therapy ◽

Venous Ulcer ◽

Term Treatment ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

High Morbidity ◽

Current Standard ◽

Venous Ulcers ◽

Long Term Treatment ◽

Group A ◽

Group B

Introduction: Lower-extremity ulcers represent the largest group of ulcers presenting to an outpatient department. It is a cumbersome, difficult to treat disease, which causes high morbidity and huge cost for the patient and healthcare system. Current standard treatment includes compression therapy. However, majority of patients need long term treatment with minimal efficacy. Aim of our study is to evaluate efficacy of four layers compressive bandages for the management of chronic venous ulcers. Methods: In Group A, we have prospectively included 20 patients with chronic venous ulcers on lower limbs for four layers hosiery bandage using Velfour bandage. Other 15 patients, Group B, were treated with conventional wound dressing. Velfour and crepe bandage were done once weekly for three weeks. Results: DVT was cause of chronic venous ulcer in 70% patient in group A and in 73.3% in Group B. Majority of patients were having left sided chronic venous ulcers. The mean duration of the ulcers was 15.6 vs 10.86 months (group A vs. group B). At the end of 3rd week, in 55% wounds in Group A were healed except few big and deep wounds remained. Most of these wounds also became smaller with minimal discharge. Size of wounds significantly decreased in Group A vs. Group B patients (0.7±0.81 cm vs. 1.73±0.77 cm, p<0.00031). However, cost of treatment in group A remained higher than group B. Conclusions: Our study has shown that four layer compressive bandage using Velfour is an easy, effective, and reproducible method of treatment for the chronic venous ulcer. Keywords: compression bandage; treatment; venous ulcer.

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Venous ulcer treatment requires inelastic compression

Phlebologie ◽

10.12687/phleb2406-1-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 47 (01) ◽

pp. 7-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

G. Mosti

Keyword(s):

Healing Rate ◽

Healing Process ◽

Compression Therapy ◽

Venous Hypertension ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

Skin Damage ◽

Foam Sclerotherapy ◽

Compression Pressure ◽

Inelastic Material ◽

Hemodynamic Impairment

SummaryLeg ulcers have a venous pathophysiology in the vast majority of cases (1–4). Superficial or deep venous insufficiency and deep vein obstruction produce ambulatory venous hypertension due to venous reflux and venous pumping function impairment. The impaired venous hemodynamics is the key pathophysiologic mechanism leading to skin damage through several intermediate steps. Fibrin cuff formation around the microvessels, impairing gases (O2, CO2) exchange (5), white cells entrapment (6) causing skin necrosis, growth factors inhibition (7) producing a stagnation of the healing process have been considered involved in ulcer onset and maintenance. The treatment of venous leg ulcers (VLU) must be based on the correction of the hemodynamic impairment which can be achieved conservatively by means of compression therapy, walking and leg elevation or by means of invasive procedures (open surgery, endovascular procedures as endovenous Laser ablation, radiofrequency, foam sclerotherapy, conservative hemodynamic treatment). Compression therapy is frequently considered the first treatment option and it is the only therapeutical procedure which achieved the grade 1A in most recent guidelines or consensus documents (8–10). The crucial point is choosing the most effective compression modality. There are clear evidences that inelastic is more effective than elastic material in counteracting the venous hemodynamic impairment (11–14) that should „ensure” a superior effectiveness in promoting a higher healing rate of VLU, which are due to venous hemodynamic impairment. When looking at evidences we have some data showing that the higher the compression pressure the higher the healing rate (9, 15–17) and this is clearly in favors of inelastic bandages which exert a much higher pressure that elastic materials. On the other side we have many papers claiming a greater effectiveness of elastic stockings or elastic bandaged compared with inelastic material (18–30). Nevertheless studies comparing elastic and inelastic devices have so many flaws that their conclusions are hard to trust (31). Aim of this work is providing updated information about compression therapy effects on venous hemodynamic and the most effective compression modality to achieve the best outcome in VLU treatment.

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The Value of Abdominal and Pelvic CT Scan in Trauma Patients With Low Injury Severity Score and High Glasgow Coma Scale

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/00031348211047496 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000313482110474

Author(s):

Tarik Wasfie ◽

Daniel Rivera ◽

Mursal Naisan ◽

Shelby Zaremba ◽

Mikayla Depuydt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Glasgow Coma Scale ◽

Physical Examination ◽

Injury Severity ◽

Surgical Intervention ◽

Trauma Patients ◽

Ct Findings ◽

Group A ◽

Fast Exam ◽

Group B

Introduction Computed tomography scans became the mainstay of emergency department (ED) evaluation of trauma patients including those with a high Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and a low Injury Severity Score (ISS). We elected to find the value of abdominal and pelvic CT in patients with negative physical examination and Focused Assessment of Sonography for Trauma (FAST) on arrival to the ED. Methods This study is a retrospective analysis of 901 consecutive patients from 2017 to 2019 who presented to the ED with level 2 and 3 activation criteria. Each patient received a physical examination, CT abdomen and pelvis, and FAST exam. Data were collected on external factor including GCS, ISS, age, sex, comorbidities, anticoagulation use, and surgical intervention. The patients were divided into 2 groups, Group A and B. Group A consisted of patients with a negative physical exam, FAST, and CT result. Group B included patients with a negative physical exam and FAST exam with positive CT findings. Statistical analysis was done using a Student’s t-test and chi-square test for significance value of P < .05. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained for this study. Results A total of 901 patients were analyzed which included 489 (54.3%) male and 412 (45.7%) female with a mean age of 56.2 (SD = 22.62) years. Out of the 901 patients, 461 patients received a physical, FAST, and CT exam. Group A consisted of 442 (95.9%) patients and Group B had 19 (4.1%) patients. Both groups were similar in GCS and ISS scoring with no significance difference in age, sex, comorbidities, and anticoagulation use. There was a significant difference in the ICU and hospital mean length of stay when CT scan was positive [2 (SD = 4.23) days vs. .6 (SD = 1.33) days with P < .0001 and 4.57 (SD ± 4.17) days vs. 2.5 (SD = 2.00) days with P < .0001, respectively]. The CT findings of the 19 patients in group B consisted of 6 incidentalomas, 5 vertebral compression fractures, 4 pelvic bone fractures, 1 minor liver contusion, 1 non-specific bowel thickening, 1 non-displaced rib fracture, and 1 case of small amount of free fluid in the pelvis. None of the CT findings required surgical intervention. Conclusion Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis in trauma patients with high GCS and low ISS with initial negative physical and FAST examination did not provide additional critical information.

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Skin grafting in the treatment of hard-to-heal leg ulcers

Italian Journal of Wound Care ◽

10.4081/ijwc.2018.18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Giovanni Mosti ◽

Vincenzo Mattaliano ◽

Pietro Picerni ◽

Costantino Christou

Keyword(s):

Ulcer Healing ◽

Healing Rate ◽

Skin Grafting ◽

Leg Ulcers ◽

Clinical Routine ◽

Ulcer Size ◽

Donor Skin ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Chronic Leg Ulcers

Some risk factors or comorbidities may make Chronic Leg Ulcers (CLU) very difficult to heal. These ulcers are usually defined refractory ulcers and may require an in-hospital intensive care to increase the healing rate. Aim of this retrospective study was to assess if our clinical routine in hospitalized patients, made up with surgical debridement followed by donor skin grafting (allografts), may favor the ulcer healing. The records of 120 patients (55 males and 65 females; mean age 73.9±11.3 years) with ulcers greater than 100 cm2 and lasting for more than 1 year were analyzed. The median ulcer size was 165 cm2 (IQR 130-250 cm2; range 100-1000 cm2). The median ulcer duration was 24 months (IQR 16-32 months; range 12-300 months). The ulcer pathophysiology was venous in 74 patients, arterial in 21, mixed in 12, vasculitis in 5 and post-traumatic in 8 patients. After debridement the patients were submitted to allograft procedures (single or multiple) up to the ulcer healing. When allograft was able to create an effective granulation tissue and reduce the ulcer size an autograft was performed to get the ulcer closure. 109 patients healed and 11 were lost at follow-up. 65 patients healed just with one allograft in 16 weeks (IQR 13-21 weeks). 42 patients healed with 2 procedures in 20 weeks (IQR 18-23 weeks). 31 of them received a final autograft while 11 healed with two allografts. 2 patients with an ulcer surface of 200 cm2, both affected by CLI, healed with 3 allografts procedures in 40 and 33 weeks, respectively. Pain and exudate amount were significantly decreased and even disappeared after the first allograft. Allografts alone or followed by an autograft are able to get the ulcer healing also in case of extensive and long lasting ulcers refractory to all previous treatments.

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Compression in leg ulcer treatment: inelastic compression

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/0268355514526313 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 29 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 146-152 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Giovanni Mosti

Keyword(s):

Ulcer Healing ◽

Healing Rate ◽

Great Majority ◽

Compression Therapy ◽

Venous Hypertension ◽

Reduced Pressure ◽

Elastic Compression ◽

Venous Ulcers ◽

Arterial Inflow ◽

Pumping Function

Compression therapy is extremely effective in promoting ulcer healing. Which material to use, if elastic or inelastic, is still a matter of debate. This paper will provide an overview on the recent findings in compression therapy mainly for venous or mixed ulcers which are the great majority of leg ulcers. In this paper it will be demonstrated that inelastic compression has been proved to be significantly more effective than elastic compression in reducing venous reflux, increasing venous pumping function and decreasing ambulatory venous hypertension. In addition it is comfortable, well accepted by patients and achieved an extremely high healing rate in venous ulcers. With reduced pressure inelastic compression is able to improve venous pumping function in patients with mixed ulcers without affecting but improving the arterial inflow. It will be also clearly shown that studies claiming a better effect of elastic compression compared to inelastic in favouring healing rate have significant methodological flaws making their conclusions at least doubtful. In conclusion inelastic- is significantly more effective than elastic compression in reducing ambulatory venous hypertension which is the main pathophysiological determinant of venous ulcers and demonstrated to be very effective in getting ulcer healing. New multicentric, randomized and controlled studies, without methodological flaws, will be necessary to prove that elastic- is at least as effective as inelastic compression or, maybe, more effective.

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