[Endovenous thermal ablation of saphenous varicosis]. / Endovenöse Thermoablation der Stammvarikose.

Endoluminal catheter-based procedures enable venous reflex in varicose saphenous veins to be eliminated. The catheter tip is positioned in the sapheno femoral or popliteal junction under ultrasound guidance. The energy necessary to ablate the vein is generated as heat by high-frequency current (radiofrequency) by laser light or by steam. Advantages of this procedure include low invasiveness, subcutaneous infusion anesthesia (SIA), low perioperative morbidity and rapid restoration of mobility of patients.

Nurses' perceptions of the benefits and adverse effects of hand disinfection: alcohol-based hand rubs vs. hygienic handwashing: a multicentre questionnaire study with additional patch testing by the German Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

BACKGROUND: Nurses have a high risk of developing hand eczema due to hand disinfection procedures. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the perception of nurses regarding the adverse effects of hand washing (HW) and alcoholic disinfection (ADI), and to obtain data on the prevalence of hand dermatitis and sensitization to alcohols and alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs). METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey, carried out as a pilot study (PS), followed by a modified multicentre study (MC) in five hospitals. Patch tests to ethanol (80%), 1-propanol (60%), 2-propanol (70%) and ABHRs were performed in a subsample. RESULTS: The majority (PS 60.1%; MC 69.5%) of nurses considered ADI to be more damaging than HW. Mostly, ADI and HW were suspected to have irritant effects (ADI 79.2%/52.1%; HW 65.5%/36.2%) compared with an allergenic potential (ADI 10.4%/5.8%; HW 7.8%/3.9%). The prevalence of hand dermatitis in the MC was 13.4% by self-diagnosis and 22.4% by symptom-based questions. In 50 tested individuals no sensitization and only two irritant reactions to alcohols and three single-positive reactions to ABHRs were observed, none of the latter related to alcohols. CONCLUSIONS: Although ADI is known to cause less skin irritation than HW, nurses perceive ADI as more damaging, resulting in: (i) a low compliance with ADI and (ii) a higher prevalence of hand dermatitis because the more deleterious HW is preferred. This may result in an increase in occupational disease and nosocomial infections. Educational programmes should promote ADI as a procedure with good efficiency and skin tolerability to reduce the prevalence of hand eczema in nurses and to enhance compliance with hand hygiene standards.

Comparison of interface pressures of three compression bandaging systems used on healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: To compare changes in interface pressures of three compression systems (four layer, two layer and short stretch) recorded over seven days in healthy volunteers in different positions: supine, sitting, active standing and working pressure during exercise. METHOD: Twenty-four volunteers were bandaged with one of the three compression systems on both legs. Interface pressures were measured at inclusion (day 0) and on days 1, 3 and 7 using an air sensor system, with the sensor placed in the medial B1 position above the inner ankle. In addition, the volume of the lower legs were also measured on days 0 and 7 using a three-dimensional imaging system. Comfort and tolerability were also assessed. RESULTS: The performance, based on the loss of interface pressure compared with baseline, of the two-layer system was partially better than that of the short-stretch system for maximal working pressure and loss of volume. The two-layer system and short-stretch system had similar results for the supine, sitting and active standing positions. No difference was observed between the two-layer system and the four-layer system for the maximal working pressure. However, the two-layer system compared better than the two other systems for comfort and tolerability: 25% of the patients treated with the four-layer system discontinued the treatment after three days because of pain. CONCLUSION: The two-layer bandage system maintained, over one week, a similar level of sub-bandage pressure similar to a four-layer system and was partially better than short-stretch bandaging. However, the volunteers found the two-layer system more comfortable and tolerable than the other two systems. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: The investigators received an education grant from Urgo for the study. However, Urgo had no influence on the data analysis or interpretation.

[The treatment of malignant tumors on venous leg ulcers. Case presentation and literature review]. / Therapie maligner Tumoren auf venösen Beinulzera. Kasuistik und Literaturübersicht.

Malignant changes in persistent venous leg ulcers are a grave complication of chronic impaired wound healing. In our case, a venous leg ulcer had persisted on the right calf for 30 years. Exophytic tumors in the ulcer with frequent bleeding prompted biopsies. A squamous cell carcinoma was found, but only in the second biopsy. The surgical procedure was planned so that in a single session both the tumor and the underlying causes of the chronic venous insufficiency in the leg could be treated appropriately. Extirpation of the enlarged lymph nodes in the groin was combined with crossectomy and removal of the long saphenous vein, followed by circular radial excision of the ulcer scar fascia (fasciotomy). The excised tissue was examined histologically. Muscle biopsies were taken from the site of suspicious adhesions of the fascia to the calf muscle. The large, circular defects on the lower leg were covered with the appropriate dressing to condition the wound bed. After three weeks the well-granulated area was covered with meshed split skin grafts. During the operation and in the post-operative phase, machine-assisted and manual decongestion was performed, an established therapy for lymphedema, chronic venous insufficiency and chronic venous ulcers.

Efficacy and safety of silver textile in the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD).

BACKGROUND: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have an increased tendency to develop bacterial skin infections. Colonization with Staphylococcus aureus is known to be a major trigger and might also play a pathophysiological role. Because of their antiseptic action, silver-coated textiles suppress S. aureus colonization and toxin formation, thus damping the inflammatory reaction. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of a special silver textile in the treatment of patients suffering from acute AD. METHODS: In a randomized phase II monocenter parallel-group comparative study 30 patients were recruited (average age 25.5 years, min. 4 years, max. 70 years) who were affected by AD in an acute phase. During the first study phase from Day 1 to Day 14, 10 patients received a silver textile (Group 1), 10 a silver-free textile (Group 2), and 10 prednicarbate ointment (Group 3). In the second phase from Day 15 to Day 28 all patients wore the silver textile, and during the follow-up period from Day 28 to Day 56 no textiles were used. Prednicarbate ointment was allowed as emergency medication, but ointment consumption was measured. The overall severity of the disease was evaluated using the SCORAD index as the primary efficacy parameter. Secondary parameters included severity of pruritus and the patients' assessment of their disease control (uncontrolled, limited, good or complete). Safety tests included hematology, blood chemistry, urinalysis for silver, and physical examination for silver deposits in the skin and mucous membranes. RESULTS: The initial SCORAD was 61.6 (IQR 26.6, min. 30.6, max. 99.9). At the end of the Study Phase 1 the SCORAD had improved significantly in the patients of Groups 1 (74.6-29.9, p = 0.005) and 3 (57.8-24.0, p = 0.009). During Study Phase 2 healing of eczema continued in Group 1 (SCORAD 29.9-18.1, p = 0.037), was observed in Group 2 (48.2-24.1, p = 0.015), and remained at an improved level in Group 3 (SCORAD 24-23.5). Consumption of prednicarbate ointment (Phase 1, Phase 2, follow-up period, medians are given): Group 1: 135 g, 10 g, 45 g; Group 2: 13 g, 0 g, 0 g; Group 3: 145 g, 30 g, 90 g. Silver textiles reduced the severity of the pruritus (p = 0.031); silver-free textiles (n.s.) and prednicarbate (n.s.) were less effective. No undesired events were observed. CONCLUSION: The elastic silver textile worn directly against the skin led to an impressive improvement of AD and a reduction in the use of prednicarbate ointment.

Hygienic relevance and risk assessment of antimicrobial-impregnated textiles.

The antimicrobial impregnation of textiles is intended to provide protection of textiles against microbial corrosion, prevention of malodor or prophylaxis and therapy of infections, respectively. For every biocidal product a careful risk assessment for humans and the environment has to be performed. The advantage of antimicrobially active textiles has to be documented for every agent as well as for every application, and a balance has to be found between a textile's quality rating and the potential risks, e.g. sensitization, disturbance of the ecology of the skin, toxic side effects by means of systemic absorption, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity and ecotoxicity. This article evaluates the applicability of silver compounds as well as the classic antimicrobials triclosan, quaternary ammonium compounds, copper and further new options like chitosan and zeolite. It has to be emphasized that there are no objections against the use of antimicrobially active textiles if their use is equal or superior to other preventive or therapeutic measures. This applies to the amelioration of the course of dermatological diseases with disturbed skin flora, in particular atopic dermatitis, the prevention and therapy of acute and chronic wound infections by wound dressings, the use of impregnated surgical suture material as well as special indications in the prevention of infection in medical facilities. The use of antimicrobial textiles for the prevention of dermatomycosis by antifungal impregnation is of questionable use; the antimicrobial impregnation of textiles for deodorization purposes has to be avoided. Presently, from a hygienic point of view, the following questions have to be clearly determined: declaration of any antimicrobial impregnation; development of international standards for in vitro testing and preclinical evaluation of efficacy and tolerance; evaluation of the advantage of the antimicrobial properties for the intended use including the risk-benefit assessment.