Non-surgical treatment for arterial leg ulcers: a narrative review.
J Wound Care
; 31(11): 969-978, 2022 Nov 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36367798
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Arterial leg ulcers (ALUs) pose a considerable burden on patients and health services. The cornerstone of treatment is revascularisation; however, this is not always possible and does not necessarily guarantee ulcer healing. Alternative treatment options are therefore also important. This narrative review aims to summarise the evidence available for non-surgical treatment of ALUs, including topical therapy, pharmacological agents, therapeutic angiogenesis and devices.METHODS:
A literature search was performed in November 2020 to identify studies reporting data on the non-surgical management of ALUs. Prospective randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials and meta-analyses that investigated conservative or medical interventions on patients with intractable ALUs, and which provided quantitative data on ulcer healing were included. Following screening, studies that met the inclusion criteria underwent a data extraction process and findings were synthesised and categorised narratively.RESULTS:
In total, 14 controlled trials were selected for inclusion and analysed based on experimental protocol and outcome measures.CONCLUSION:
There is some evidence available for the use of short-term systemic prostanoids, ultrasound therapy and pneumatic compression. There are limitations to these options including side effects, patient tolerance due to pain and availability in clinical practice. Further research is needed to improve treatment options for this complex group.Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Varicose Ulcer
/
Leg Ulcer
Type of study:
Clinical_trials
/
Guideline
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
J Wound Care
Journal subject:
ENFERMAGEM
Year:
2022
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom