Local treatment of venous leg ulcers.

At present the following guidelines for treatment of venous leg ulcers from our department are: Check the patients' general health--special attention to heart incompensation with oedema of the legs and the peripheral circulation. The most relevant laboratory tests are haemoglobin and urine-glucose. Routine bacterial cultivation is not necessary in non-diabetic patients as the result will generally not influence diagnosis, treatment or prognosis. Furthermore, treatment with topical antibiotics should be avoided. It is not only unnecessary, wasteful and sensitizing, but it also involves a risk of causing antibiotic resistance. Systematic antibiotic therapy is indicated only when obvious inflammatory signs in the tissues surrounding the ulcer are present, e.g. erysipelas or cellulitis. Non-sensitizing topical remedies should be applied. Avoid wool, alcohols, parabens, topical antibiotics and oxiquinolines. When eczema occurs use a hydrocortisone preparation in an inert base. Epicutaneous testing might be indicated. Bandages to be recommended are double-layer bandages consisting of an inner zinc oxide impregnated stocking and an outer elastic bandage and hydrocolloid dressing plus compression bandage.