Application of Hydrocolloid Dressing on Treatment of Chronic Leg Ulcers

Abstract

The use of hydrocolloid dressing in maintaining a moist wound environment has been proved to be a useful adjunct in facilitating wound healing. In our experience, hyprocolloid dressing also provides protection on the complicated ulcers with exposure of major structures, including bones, tendons, great vessels or nerves. From January 1990 to December 1996, hydrocolloid dressing was applied to 39 patients of chronic leg ulcers in the division of plastic surgery of National Taiwan University Hospital. Among the patients, 14 patients had complicated ulcers with exposure of major structures, including bones and/or tendons. The bases of these ulcers were prepared with hydrocolloid dressing following debridements. All the ulcers eventually were resurfaced by skin grafting. Compared with those without exposure of major structures, the patients with exposure of major structures had larger diameter of ulcers (6.4 versus 4.3), higher frequency of operations (1.6 versus 1.2 for each patient), longer hospital stays (27.4 versus 17.0 days) and longer duration of application of hydrocolloid dressing (23.0 versus 13.5 days). For complicated ulcers with exposure of major structures, it takes longer time for healing. Under the application of hydrocolloid dressing and after good granulation tissue covered the bases of ulcers, all the complicated ulcers eventually were resurfaced with skin grafting instead of flap reconstruction.