A novel treatment for venous leg ulcers.

Venous ulceration, a relatively common manifestation of venous hypertension, is often difficult to treat. This article reports the authors' experience with a new wound-healing technology using a bilayered, culture-derived human skin equivalent (HSE, Apligraf) for treatment of venous ulcers. In the patients studied, HSE appeared to promote wound healing in three ways: 1) apparent graft "take"; 2) temporary wound closure (persistence of HSE with subsequent wound re-epithelialization from wound margins); and 3) stimulation of host healing without temporary persistence by acting as a biologic dressing. The demonstrated efficacy of HSE suggests that it will prove useful for promoting the healing of venous ulcers.