Overview of guidelines for the prevention and treatment of venous leg ulcers: a US perspective

Abstract

E Foy White-Chu,1 Teresa A Conner-Kerr2 1Oregon Health and Science University, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR, 2Winston-Salem State University, Department of Physical Therapy, Winston Salem, NC, USA Abstract: Comprehensive care of chronic venous insufficiency and associated ulcers requires a multipronged and interprofessional approach to care. A comprehensive treatment approach includes exercise, nutritional assessment, compression therapy, vascular reconstruction, and advanced treatment modalities. National guidelines, meta-analyses, and original research studies provide evidence for the inclusion of these approaches in the patient plan of care. The purpose of this paper is to review present guidelines for prevention and treatment of venous leg ulcers as followed in the US. The paper further explores evidence-based yet pragmatic tools for the interprofessional team to use in the management of this complex disorder. Keywords: venous insufficiency, varicose ulcer, wound, compression bandage