ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Acta Vulnologica 2008 September;6(3):111-8

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Observational, multicentric study on the efficacy of Visitrak® technique vs the standard approach on chronic cutaneous ulcers

Romanelli M., Marazzi M., Ricci E., Farris A., Brilli C., Bonadeo P., Scalise A., Campitiello F., Guarnera G., Mosti G., Pittarello M., Avanzi A., Bovone U., Crespi A., Papi M.

Gruppo Studio Visitrak AIUC Centro Congressi Internazionale, Torino, Italia

The chronic wound is a common cutaneous disease with multiple etiology but frequently due to venous insufficiency, presenting with chronic recurrency and social impact on quality of life and professional activities. Prevalence of this disorder in developed countries is due to increase in the near future, mainly because of prolongation of average age expectation in the elderly patients which are more affected by this problem. A rapid wound assessment is essential in order to facilitate treatment from a medical point of view and to achieve cost containment. In clinical practice, the evaluation of efficacy of treatment is essential in order to investigate the hard to heal ulcers and consequently examine the factors which are causing the delay in healing or if the treatment has to be modified. The identification of wound healing parameters could help in the general management of a specific patients able to follow a particular treatment. In the last fifteen years a great number of studies have been conducted on the initial evaluation of healing as a main prognostic indicator for complete healing. In this study we have evaluated a digital wound assessment device for planimetry, the Visitrak® (Smith & Nephew, Hull, UK) on chronic ulcers and compared to standard assessment. Data obtained have confirmed the easy of use, rapidity and cost-effectiveness of Visitrak® compared to standard wound assessment.