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A comprehensive literature review has revealed new perspective for the care of chronic and other wounds. Full findings appear in the British Journal of Surgery.

In all, researchers analyzed findings from 44 Cochrane Systematic Reviews published by the Cochrane Wounds and Peripheral Vascular Disease Groups. The reviews covered CSRs on acute wounds and chronic wounds such as venous, pressure, diabetic and arterial ulcers.

Among the chronic wound recommendations:

• Using high-specification foam mattresses and low-air loss mattresses can prevent pressure ulcers; pressure-relieving overlays are recommended on operation tables. Using local therapeutic ultrasound is not recommended for healing pressure ulcers.

• Systemic treatment of venous ulcers with pentoxyfylline increases complete wound healing and compression therapy, using high compression, multi-component systems or elastic bandages, is most effective.

• Using hyperbaric oxygen therapy decreases major amputations in diabetic ulcers, and local hydrogels should be used after debridement to promote wound healing.