[Chronic wounds of the lower limbs: a guide for non-specialists]

Chronic lower-extremity ulcers are a growing public health problem, resulting in significant costs for society and patients, and having a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and informal caregivers. As general practitioners are often solicited early on, the acquisition of basic knowledge regarding wound care management is therefore essential to initiate local care, to make an early diagnosis and identify emergencies and patients that need a referral. The CASE and TIMERS frameworks enable a holistic assessment of the patient and the wound, to propose a treatment of the wound based on its etiology combined with appropriate local wound care. This framework allows also to identify atypical, severe, or recalcitrant wounds requiring specialized advice.