Excision and skin grafting of leg ulcers

Abstract

Background and aims: Skin grafting is a simple and cheap method of treating leg ulcers, and if done in the early phase it can lower health care costs. This study analyses patients who underwent excision and skin-grafting of leg ulcers in the Department of Plastic Surgery during 1993-1995.

Material and methods: Sixty-five patients were operated on; 17 of them, however, died during follow-up and were excluded from the study. The average follow-up time was 1 year 11 months (range 11 months-2 years 11 months).

Results: Ninety per cent of all ulcers were cured in the course of an average hospital stay of 11 days and postoperative wound care of four and a half months. Ulcers recurred, however, in 17% of these patients during follow-up.

Conclusions: Skin grafting is a simple and cheap method for treating leg ulcers, and if done in the early phase it can lower health care costs. Attention should be paid to the other diseases of patients, venous or arterial insufficiency in particular, and also to cortisone intake, in order to prevent recurrences of leg ulcers after surgery.