Wound care: Venous insufficiency and lower extremity ulcers
Carla Jeanne Beckerle
Esse Health, USA
: J Nurs Patient Care
Abstract
Lower-limb ulceration is prevalent in the United States most commonly due to vascular disease, of which venous is the most common. Other causes for ulceration are noted as malignancy, infections and autoimmune diseases with each ulcer differentiated by the history and clinical examination of the patient. Objective documentation for the ulcer etiology is necessary prior to instigating treatment with methods for diagnosing the causes for the ulcers including plethysmography, ultrasound, angiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and skin biopsy. All these tests should be used in conjunction with the clinical presentation of the patient. The Triple Aim applies to patient care in wound management and treatments should be performed in a cost-effective manner, reduce longitudinal costs and involve the patient in treatment decisions to increase adherence to therapy.
Biography
