Evaluation of the Jobst UlcerCare System for the treatment of venous ulcers

Objective:To test the Jobst ulcer care system (JUCS), a combination of two elastic stockings and a dressing, for the treatment of venous ulcers. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Therapy was performed at home by the patient with weekly visits to the outpatient clinic at the teaching hospital of the University of Padua. Patients: Thirty-one consecutive ambulatory patients with confirmed venous ulcer. Treatment: Patients were instructed to wear the low-compression stocking (l iner) day and night and the higher compression stocking (therapeutic stocki ng with zipper) during the day. The wound dressing (Cutinova foam) was chan ged as judged by the patient. Main outcome measures: Healing of the ulcer, and tolerance, safety and ease of using the JUCS by the patient. Results: Twenty-four patients completed the study; 23 patients showed compl ete healing of the ulcer within 16 weeks and in the 24th patient the healin g was completed in 18 weeks. The mean healing time was 5.8 weeks. Conclusions: The Jobst ulcer care system is effective in achieving ulcer he aling and the elastic stockings showed no significant side-effects and were easy to use.