The prevalence of leg ulcer disease is high and the health care costs
are extensive. Effective therapy is essential to minimise the health c
are costs and suffering on the part of the patient, If possible, first
and foremost, therapy should be aimed at correcting the underlying ae
tiological defect causing the ulcer, After this has been considered, o
ne of the local therapeutic options is skin grafting using small full
thickness skin grafts, i.e. pinch grafting, During the period 1991-199
3 altogether 145 therapy-resistant leg ulcers were treated with the pi
nch graft method at the Department of Dermatology, Malmo University Ho
spital, The healing rate after 3 months was studied in retrospect, An
overall healing rate of 36% was found, The healing rate was dependent
on aetiological diagnosis, with a healing rate of 22% in venous and 50
% in arterial ulcers, The pinch graft method, which may be used on an
out-patient basis offers a simple and relatively effective option in t
he treatment of leg ulcers, It is recommended as first line skin graft
ing method, As second line skin grafting method split thickness skin g
raft, with or without ulcer excision, is recommended.