A review of the etiology and treatment of skin ulcers with wound dressings: comparison of the effects of occlusive and nonocclusive dressings.

This article reviews the etiology and treatment of skin ulceration caused by external pressure, vascular insufficiency, and diabetes. In the case of pressure sores, compression of skin against bone may cause ischemic injury to underlying fat and muscle that precedes necrosis of dermis and epidermis. Venous and arterial insufficiency lead to leg ulcers as a result of incompetency of the valves in the veins connecting the superficial to the deep venous systems and atherosclerosis, respectively. Diabetics are susceptible to foot ulcers because of atherosclerosis and the resulting occlusive arterial disease and peripheral neuropathy. Once the underlying medical condition is solved, occlusive and nonocclusive wound dressings can be used in an attempt to promote healing. A review of the literature of animal and clinical studies suggests that both occlusive and nonocclusive wound dressings promote healing compared with air-exposed wounds. Dressings that absorb wound fluid offer some advantages over those that do not absorb large quantities of fluid in heavily exudative wounds and may require less frequent dressing changes. However, the chemistry of the material that comprises the wound dressing seems unimportant unless the material is biologically active. It is likely that the next generation of wound dressings will be composed of a moisture-retaining material coupled with material that has biological activity.