CASE STUDY 1
CHRONIC VENOUS ULCER IN A PATIENT WITH LIMITED JOINT MOBILITY
Microcurrent electrotherapy (M.E.T.) for the treatment of a chronic venous ulcer in a patient with limited joint mobility (LJM): a prospective case study.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively evaluate the efficacy of microcurrent electrotherapy (M.E.T.) administered by a medical device (KFH NOVO) for the treatment of a chronic venous ulcer in a patient with limited joint mobility (L.J.M.)
BACKGROUND
The specific cause of venous ulcers is poor venous decline due to damage to the valves in the leg veins. A mobile ankle improves pump function and maximizes venous efficiency. Patients with L.J.M. (e.g. ankles) often suffer from chronic venous ulcers more frequently and for longer periods. The use of electrical stimulation to promote wound healing is widely described with beneficial effects such as migration of keratinocytes and fibroblasts to reduce granulation and epithelization.
METHOD
A 79-year-old female patient of 79 years of age with limited joint mobility who has been suffering for more than 30 years and a chronic venous ulcer that opposes conventional therapy (compression bandages, wound gels and pain medication) on the inside of her left ankle. The wound was treated with an M.E.T. administered by KFH NOVO medical device with a constant microcurrent output of 580 µA. Two electrodes were placed opposite each other outside the wound area, which did not interfere with the ongoing therapy. The patient was treated daily for two hours (2 x 1 hour) for a total study period of 10 weeks.
RESULTS
Baseline ulcer surface was 2.8 cm², with significant edema and pain. After 4 weeks of M.E.T. treatment, granulation and epithelization processes were clearly reactivated and the wound surface shrunk to 2.0 cm². At the end of the case study period, the wound surface was reduced to only 0.3 cm², oedema and pain disappeared. The treatment was very well tolerated and will be continued for complete healing at the end of the study. The patient reported excellent ease of use.
CONCLUSION
MET administered by KFH NOVO medical device enabled safe and effective treatment of a chronic venous ulcer in a patient with L.J.M. who has been resisting conventional therapy for more than 30 years by reactivating granulation and epithelization processes and thus offering a possible alternative to successful complementary therapy in the treatment of chronic venous ulcers.