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Research into hormones and wound healing has shown estrogen to speed wound healing in elderly humans and in animals that have had their ovaries removed, possibly by preventing excess neutrophils from entering the wound and releasing elastase. [26] Thus the use of estrogen is a future possibility for treating chronic wounds.
Diabetic foot ulcer is a breakdown of the skin and sometimes deeper tissues of the foot that leads to sore formation. It is thought to occur due to abnormal pressure or mechanical stress chronically applied to the foot, usually with concomitant predisposing conditions such as peripheral sensory neuropathy, peripheral motor neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy or peripheral arterial disease. [1]
Tropical ulcer, more commonly known as jungle rot, is a chronic ulcerative skin lesion thought to be caused by polymicrobial infection with a variety of microorganisms, including mycobacteria.
Malum perforans is a long-lasting, usually painless ulcer that penetrates deep into or through the skin, usually on the sole of the foot (in which case it may be called malum perforans pedis). It is often a complication in diabetes mellitus and other conditions affecting the nerves.
Chronic ulcer symptoms usually include increasing pain, friable granulation tissue, foul odour, and wound breakdown instead of healing. [3] Symptoms tend to worsen once the wound has become infected. Venous skin ulcers that may appear on the lower leg, above the calf or on the lower ankle usually cause achy and swollen legs.
Critical limb ischemia is diagnosed by the presence of ischemic rest pain, and an ulcers that will not heal or gangrene due to insufficient blood flow. [3] Insufficient blood flow may be confirmed by ankle-brachial index (ABI), ankle pressure, toe-brachial index (TBI), toe systolic pressure, transcutaneous oxygen measurement (TcpO2 ), or skin perfusion pressure (SPP).
When debridement is necessary, wounds are left open so that serial debridements may be performed over the course of the wound's healing. [7] Antibiotic choice should be guided by deep tissue culture, severity of the infection, presence or absence of osteomyelitis, prior antibiotic treatment, and previous or current MRSA infection. [17]
Venous ulcers are costly to treat, and there is a significant chance that they will recur after healing; [3] [10] one study found that up to 48% of venous ulcers had recurred by the fifth year after healing. [10] However treatment with local anaesthetic endovenous techniques suggests a reduction of this high recurrence rate is possible. [48]