The Impact of Skin Grafting on the Quality of Life and Self-Esteem of Patients with Venous Leg Ulcers

• Published in: World journal of surgery Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 233 - 240
• Main Authors: Salomé, Geraldo M., Blanes, Leila, Ferreira, Lydia M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Adult; Cardiac Surgery; Female; General Surgery; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life; Self Concept; Skin Grafting; Skin Transplantation - psychology; Surgery; Surgery Group; Thoracic Surgery; Varicose Ulcer - surgery; Varicose Vein; Vascular Surgery; Venous Insufficiency; Wound Dressing; Young Adult; Varicose Vein; Skin Grafting; Surgery Group; Wound Dressing; Venous Insufficiency
• ISSN: 0364-2313; 1432-2323
• DOI: 10.1007/s00268-013-2228-x

Background The assessment of health-related quality of life in patients with venous leg ulcers provides important information for clinical decision making, evaluation of therapeutic benefits, and prediction of survival probabilities. Methods Health-related quality of life and self-esteem were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Rosenberg self-esteem (RSE) scale, respectively, in patients with venous leg ulcers treated with split-thickness skin grafts. One hundred patients with venous leg ulcers and indication for skin grafting were divided into two groups of 50 patients each: the control group (patients who received conservative treatment) and surgery group (patients who received split-thickness skin grafts). Results Patients in the surgery group reported significantly higher SF-36 scores (better health status) than controls one month after surgery, as well as 90 and 180 days postoperatively ( p  < 0.002). The mean total RSE score was significantly lower (indicating higher self-esteem) in the surgery group (mean RSE score, 17.54) than in the control group (mean RSE score, 24.22). Conclusions Split-thickness skin grafting resulted in better health-related quality of life and self-esteem in patients with venous leg ulcers than did compression therapy with Unna’s boot.