Pinch grafting of leg ulcers. A retrospective study of 412 treated ulcers in 146 patients

Abstract

In a retrospective study of 412 leg ulcers in 146 patients treated with pinch grafting, with a mean duration of follow-up of 32 months (range 2-84), the overall healing rate was 38%. The healing rate was best in the vasculitic ulcers (56%), followed by venous ulcers (38%), arteriosclerotic ulcers (33%), mixed ulcers (33%) and "other ulcers" (20%). In the series as a whole, the mean duration of ulcer problems was 8 years, and that of the 412 ulcers treated 2.5 years; the mean recurrence rate was 28%, and the mean remission time 12.5 months. In the ulcers that were still healed at close of the study (comprising 27% (112/412) of the series), the remission time was > or = 26.6 months. Thus we consider pinch grafting to be a successful complement to conservative therapy in most types of ulcers.