[Local therapy of ulcus cruris]

The primary step of local ulcer therapy consists in debridement. Cleaning the ulcers from necrotic tissue can be achieved by surgical, mechanical, osmotic, autolytic and enzymatic means. The introduction of (semi-)occlusive wound dressings for moist wound healing has significantly improved ulcer treatment, since critical steps of wound healing, such as fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis and epithelialisation are markedly accelerated. In contrast, topical antimicrobial therapy and traditional local treatment with "wound ointments" are of diminishing value because of frequent side effects such as inhibition of granulation tissue or allergic sensitization.