A service evaluation to examine the use of compression strapping for the management of patients with retromalleolar leg ulcers in a specialist community setting

Haynes, Samantha and Holloway, Samantha 2022. A service evaluation to examine the use of compression strapping for the management of patients with retromalleolar leg ulcers in a specialist community setting. International Wound Journal 19 (5) , pp. 1232-1242. 10.1111/iwj.13718

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Abstract

Leg ulcers are costly to the NHS, and they have a significant impact on patients' physical, social, and psychological well-being. Compression therapy is traditionally the “gold-standard” treatment for the management of venous leg ulcers and can be beneficial for those individuals with mixed ulcer aetiology. Evidence suggests that the application of standard, strong, graduated compression bandaging does not apply therapeutic compression to the retromalleolar fossa. The addition of compression strapping has been found to increase sub-bandage pressure, promote healing, reduce pain and increase quality of life in patients with retromalleolar leg ulcers. This service evaluation aimed at evaluating the use of compression strapping with patients with retromalleolar leg ulcers. The service evaluation included 24 patients with 41 ulcers treated with compression strapping by a specialist team. Patients treated with CS had multiple comorbidities and shared common characteristics including foot and ankle oedema, previous ulceration, reduced mobility, and failure to heal despite the application of “gold-standard” compression therapy. Following application of compression strapping, 17 patients (n = 27/41 ulcers) healed, mean pain scores decreased, and mean quality of life scores increased. The compression strapping was tolerated well, and patients reported a positive experience. This service evaluation has contributed towards a growing evidence base that supports the use of CS for the management of patients with retromalleolar leg ulcers.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine
Additional Information:	This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1742-4801
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 November 2021
Date of Acceptance:	26 October 2021
Last Modified:	16 May 2023 15:49
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/145479

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