The Effectivity of Compressed Bandaging in Treating Venous Leg Ulcer - Dissertation Example

Factors that influence the compliance with the compression treatment Conclusion Referencess Abstract Venous ulcer is a common disease that affects about 1-2% of the general population during their lifetime. Treatment of this condition is long-lasting and time consuming and many factors are influencing the effectiveness and the healing rates of compression bandage. In this study we will critically analyze the effectiveness of compression bandage in the treatment of venous ulcers caused by venous insufficiency of the vein system of the lower leg.

In order to do so we analyzed 4 studies that researches the different aspect of efficacy of compressive bandages. We analyzed the efficacy of different types of compressive bandages. We also analized the efficacy of compressive bandage compared to surgery and we found that compressive bandages are as effective as surgery in the treatment of venous ulcers on the lower extremities. At the end we also analyzed the factors that affect the compliance of the patients to the therapy and factors that influence the correct application of compression bandages by the medical professionals.

We can conclude that compression bandages are the most effective treatment of venous ulcers and the efficacy as effective as any other new method of treatment. Additional research is needed in order to assure the usage of the appropriate type of compression systems by the medical professionals. . Overall prevalence of venous ulcers in the morbidity of the human population is estimated around 0.18% but it is found that 1-2 % of the population suffers from chronic venous leg ulcers (Graham et all 2003).

Treatment of vein ulcers is long lasting and costly and the disease is prone to remissions and exacerbations. It is estimated that approximately 1% of the total health budget in European western countries is spend in treatment and care of patients with this condition. In United States the estimated costs for the treatment and care of about 6 million patients with venous leg ulcers is estimated on 2.5 billion dollars a year (Nelzen 2000) (Phillips et al. 1994). Venous ulcers are the most important cause of chronic wounds representing 70 to 90 percents of all chronic wounds which significantly influence the quality of life of the affected patients over prolonged periods of time.

There are many theories about the etiology of this disease but the exact etiology is still not well understood. Veins in the calf are constituted of two different and interconnected systems - deep and superficial vein system which are divided between themselves by the muscle fascia in the calf. Veins that constitute the deep system eventually form the popliteal and femoral vein, are located beneath the muscle fascia and are responsible for collecting the blood from the deeper tissues and muscles of the calf.

In this system within the muscles there are located veins with larger volume (sinuses), without valves that act as reservoirs of blood when the calf muscles are at rest. This system of deep veins can collect up to 150 ml of blood in normal individual, but they can storage much more if there are malformations in this system. The