ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Acta Phlebologica 2016 December;17(3):86-90

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Laser Speckle evaluation of microcirculation in leg ulcers

Giacomo FAILLA ¹, Giovanni ADAMO ², Francesco P. PALUMBO ³, Pier L. ANTIGNANI ⁴

¹ Angiology Unit, Policlinico-Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy; ² Angiologic Clinic, Modica, Ragusa, Italy; ³ Vulnologic Center, Palermo, Italy; ⁴ Vascular Centre “Nuova Villa Claudia”, Rome, Italy

BACKGROUNDː The purpose of this paper was to assess the skin microcirculation in patients with leg ulcers through the laser Speckle.
METHODSː We examined by laser Speckle 15 patients with leg ulcers, 11 men and 4 women. We considered 4 ischemic ulcers, 5 venous ulcers, 4 vasculitic ulcers, 1 post-traumatic ulcer, and, for comparison, a patient with a venous ulcer healed. Each patient was evaluated at baseline, during treatment and after treatment. Through the laser the studied zones were divided into regions of interest (ROI) represented by the bottom of the ulcer, and perilesional areas of normal skin areas.
RESULTSː The data have confirmed the disturbed skin perfusion due to a malfunction of the microcirculation locally in subjects with skin ulcers.
CONCLUSIONSː The peculiarity of the method allowed us to highlight that in the perilesional areas there it seems to be higher perfusion compared to both the fund of the ulcer, the surrounding area and healthy skin tissue. It showed us the significant role of inflammation in delaying tissue healing too.