The K-Four bandage system: evaluating its effectiveness on recalcitrant venous leg ulcers
Vowden, K.R.; Wilkinson, D.; Vowden, P.
Journal of Wound Care 10(5): 182-184
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0969-0700 PMID: 12964326 Document Number: 529736
This evaluation examined the effectiveness of the K-Four (Parema) high compression bandage system on 50 patients with recalcitrant 'hard-to-heal' venous leg ulcers and relates the outcome to an earlier randomised study which compared three other four-layer bandage systems. Twelve-week healing rates were 53.2% in the current series, which included patients with poor mobility, large ulcers and long pretreatment ulcer duration, rising to 69.5% at 20 weeks. When account was taken of known risk factors for delayed ulcer healing, no significant difference could be identified between between either K-Four or the earlier evaluated bandages, which included the original Charing Cross system, where the overall healing rates were 64.5% and 80%, respectively, at 12 and 20 weeks. It would seem more likely that treatment outcome is related to patient risk factors for delayed healing and bandaging expertise than to the bandage system employed.