Venous ulcers are a consequence of damage to the valves in the veins of the legs, leading to high pressure in the venous system. They are characterised by a pattern of healing and recurrence, with recurrence rates between 45 and 70% at one year.
Venous ulcers affect over 1% of the total population and nearly 20% of people over 80 years of age. Venous ulceration places a huge burden on healthcare both financially and physically. The cost of managing venous ulcers amounts to £400 million per year in the UK. It causes considerable morbidity amongst patients, including work incapacity. Additionally, non-healing ulcers place the patient at a much higher risk for limb amputation.
Compression therapy is widely recognised as the main treatment for venous leg ulcers. However, the personal and financial costs of treatment have stimulated the development of new approaches, such as the use of Transdermal Continuous Oxygen Therapy (TCOT).
The application of oxygen to successfully heal open wounds has been studied extensively for decades, demonstrating favourable results. Diffused oxygen stimulates the formation of new healthy tissue, leading to less scarring and less recurrence.
Oxygen was traditionally supplied using a full body hyperbaric chamber, with all its limitations and negative side effects.
We aim to assess the application of TCOT through a portable device that delivers the oxygen directly to the ulcer (EPIFLO) and is placed underneath the multilayer compression dressing. This is a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of TCOT in the management of venous ulcers.
