The Unna's boot as a treatment for venous ulcers

The optimal clinical management of venous ulcers is not clear, but compression therapy is the mainstay of medical management. The Unna's boot is a popular and effective compression dressing for venous ulcers despite incomplete clinical endorsement and minimal research evidence supporting its advantages over other compression dressing modalities. This article reviews the most recent professional and research-based literature concerning the use of the Unna's boot for venous ulcer healing. It discusses issues of venous ulcer prevalence, risk factors, recurrence, financial impact, physiological and psychological complications, and treatment choices. An overview of venous ulcer etiology is provided, culminating in this disorder's clinical presentation. Relevant wound-healing theory is related and functional explanations are given of lower-limb arterial circulation assessment measures, compression therapy, and the Unna's boot. Clinical protocol guidelines and patient education are highlighted.