Skin ulcers are defects in the skin and mucous membranes. They are formed due to tissue necrosis, which does not heal for a long time after necrotic necrotic areas fall away. Skin ulcers appear due to a sharp decrease in regeneration processes, with metabolic disorders in the body, and other painful conditions of a person.
Causes of occurrence
A skin ulcer, the symptoms of which depend on the provoking disease, may be the result of:
- traumatic injuries of various origins (thermal, mechanical, electrical, chemical or radiation);
- malignant and benign tumors, which are sometimes covered with ulcers (lymphogranulomatosis, sarcomas);
- venous circulation disorders (with thrombophlebitis, arteriovenous fistulas, varicose veins);
- arterial circulation disorders (with thrombosis, embolism, persistent vasospasm) ;
- lymphatic outflow disorders (for blood diseases, diabetes mellitus, anemia, scurvy);
- various infections;
- neurotrophic disorders (with tumors, progressive paralysis);
- changes in the walls of blood vessels (with Raynaud's disease, atherosclerosis, syphilitic aortitis, obliterating endarteritis).
Complications
Skin ulcers are dangerous for various complications:
- accession of infection;
- secondary bleeding from damaged vessels;
- penetration (growth of an ulcer near the organs or perforation in the cavity), which interferes with the functioning of the organs and disrupts their functions;
- degeneration of ulcers into malignant (the so-called malignancy).
Ulcer treatment
Skin ulcers are treated taking into account the underlying disease, so the approach should be comprehensive. For the treatment of external manifestations, conventional means are used with mandatory thorough skin care, bed rest, limb immobilization, physiotherapeutic measures, such as ultraviolet radiation or sollux.
Skin ulcers in the child and the initial stages of the disease are treated with frequent dressings with hypertonic solutions. Additionally, proteolytic enzymes are used to purify pus. Dressings with antiseptics and ointments are applied to the cleaned ulcer.
It is also important to carry out general therapeutic measures aimed at improving reparative or immunobiological processes in the body. This means a nutritious diet rich in vitamins, as well as physiotherapy, blood substitutes and immunomodulators.
Surgical methods of treatment are used only in cases where conservative ones are ineffective. In this case, pathological scars and altered tissues are removed from the ulcer. A tissue defect is covered by a skin graft. When prescribing adequate treatment, it is important to consider the pathogenesis of ulceration. Therapy is aimed at restoring tissues and stopping the diseases that affected the formation of ulcers. To consolidate the positive effect after the elimination of the ulcers on the skin, spa treatment is indicated with the inclusion of measures to increase immunity and vitamin therapy.