Can non-adhesive short stretch bandages change a life?

Venous stasis ulcers are common in patients who have a history of leg swelling, varicose veins, or a history of blood clots in either the superficial or the deep veins of their legs. The treatment is long and hard but the main aim of it is to create such an environment that allows skin to grow over an ulcer. Chronic wounds are a growing social, economical and health issue throughout the world. The purpose of this retrospective study was to establish detailed characterization of how effective a compression is in reducing the time of wound healing. A total of 176 patients with leg ulcers were included in our three years study. The measurements were taken based on the anamnesis, presenting clinical symptoms, digital photography at each dressing foam change, and, finally, wounds. During a 3 years period (2011-2013) a total of 176 patients (61 male and 115 female, 34.66% and 65.34% respectively) with different types of leg ulcers were treated at our Hospital. The average age is 68.94 years (male 68 years, female 70 years). We measured how long the patient had the wound before starting the treatment, and also how long the treatment lasted. This led us to the conclusion that compression therapy shortened the time of treatment by two thirds, compared to the usual therapy. Compression systems improve the healing of venous leg ulcers and should be used routinely regarding venous ulcers.