Efficiency of therapeutic ultrasound, low-level laser and compression therapy for healing of venous leg ulcers

Abstract

Aim\rTo evaluate the efficiency of therapeutic Ultrasound, low level laser and compression therapy\rfor healing of venous Leg ulcers and Compare the effect of modalities on the ulcers.\rSubjects and methods\rThree groups were included in the study. Group I: 20 patients with leg ulcers treated with\rlow level laser therapy. Group II: 20 patients with leg ulcers treated with ultrasound therapy.\rGroup III: 20 patients with leg ulcers treated by compression therapy (four layer bandage)\rwere used in this study. All patients were subjected to detailed history, clinical evaluation in\raddition to X-ray of legs and feet, and Doppler ultrasound of both legs. The main variables for\rfollow up were the measurement of the area of the lesions under aseptic conditions at 0, 1, 2,\r3 months and qualitative clinical evaluation of the ulcers by physician and by the patient. The\rresults from group I, group II and group III were obtained and then compared with each others.\rResults\rAccording to the size of the ulcer, some ulcers heal within 1 month which is (15.6%) in group I,\r(10%) in group II, and (28.5%) in group III. Some ulcers heal within 2 months which is (28%) in\rgroup I, (23.3%) in group II and (37%) in group III. The remaining ulcers heal within 3 months\ror more which are (56%) in group I, (66.6%) in group II and (34.2%) in group III. Thus the\rpercentage of healing denoting that compression bandage technique used in group III is the\rmost efficient in healing of chronic venous leg ulcer followed by laser therapy and lastly US\rtherapy (P = 0.04 at the end of the first month and P = 0.03 at the end of the third month).\rConclusion\rCompression therapy is the most efficient treatment of venous leg ulcers. Low level laser\rtherapy and Ultrasound therapy are useful methods as a conservative treatment of venous\rleg ulcers and can be used in ulcers of small size.