Here - EWMA 2013

FREE PAPER SESSION: INFECTION
Free Paper Session: Leg Ulcers I
15
IS IT TIME TO RE-APPRAISE THE ROLE OF COMPRESSION IN NON-HEALING
VENOUS LEG ULCERS ?
Julian Guest 1 , Charles Hildegard 2 , Keith Cutting 3
1 Catalyst Health Economics Consultants (Northwood, Middlesex, United Kingdom);
2 Tissue Viability Consultant, CLCH London, Buckinghamshire New University (Uxbridge,
United Kingdom);
3 Buckinghamshire New University (Uxbridge, United Kingdom).
Aim: To evaluate the role of compression in non-healing venous leg ulcers (VLUs) of
>3 months duration.
Methods: Patients’ records from three independent data sets of non-healing VLUs of
>3 months duration were re-analysed. Two data sets were separate audits of clinical
practice and the third comprised patients’ records from a randomised controlled trial.
Some patients in each data set were never treated with compression. The effect of
compression on healing at 6 months was tested with logistic regression.
Results: Patients’ baseline characteristics are summarised in Table 1*. In each data set
patients in the compression and no-compression groups were matched according to size
and age of ulcer, and there were no differences in comorbidities. (see figure).
Comparing the no-compression with the compression groups, the healing rate at 6
months was 68% versus 48% in study 1, 12% versus 6% in study 2 and 26% versus
11% in study 3. Use of compression was found to be an independent predictor of not
healing with an Odds ratio of 0.422, 0.456 and 0.408 in study 1, 2 and 3 respectively.
Conclusions: The healing rate of non-healing VLUs of >3 months duration in the nocompression
groups was double that of VLUs in the compression groups. These findings
need to be evaluated in a prospective study.
*Table not available in abstract book
16
Free Paper Session: Infection
REDUCING SURGICAL SITE INJECTIONS. COMPARATIVE ECONOMIC
EVALUATION OF THE USE OF A SURGICAL FILM DRESSING IN THE
MANAGEMENT OF POST-OPERATIVE SURGICAL WOUNDS. AN INEXEPENSIVE
AND SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A COSTLY PROBLEM
Joan-Enric Torra i Bou 1 , Ana Abejón Arroyo 2 , Pablo López Casanova 3 ,
José Verdú Soriano 4
1 Smith&Nephew Iberia (Sant Joan Despí, Spain);
2 Hospital Clínico de Valladolid (Valladolid, Spain);
3 Hospital de Elche (Elche, Spain);
4 Universidad de Alicante (Alicante, Spain).
Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSI) have been shown to extend hospital stay,
leading to avoidable extended hospital stays and a detrimental impact on patient
quality of life. The dressing* is a surgical film dressing that provides a waterproof,
breathable, bacteria barrier for surgical wounds whilst managing exudate.
Methods: An economic evaluation was conducted alongside an open-label,
controlled trial conducted in 14 centres throughout Spain which compared a surgical
film dressing to the standard treatment with gauze dressings in the management of
surgical wounds.
Results: A total of 411 patients were recruited, 196 treated with gauze and 215 with
OPOV. Patients were well-matched in terms of their demographics and wound
characteristics at baseline.
SSI rates were significantly lower in patients treated with surgical film dressing
compared to gauze dressings (6,6% vs. 1.4%, p=0,006). Patients treated with the
surgical film dressing experienced fewer blisters compared to traditional dressings
(2.3% vs 8.7% p=0,004), erythemas (2.8% vs 12.2% p