HEALING DECUBITUS ULCERS WITH TENS

本研究的目的是确定 经皮神经电刺激治疗褥疮 溃疡 具体而言，该研究旨在：（1）比较 传统疗法治疗褥疮的愈合 而那些接受常规治疗的患者， TENS，和（2）比较溃疡愈合率和存在 特定患者变量或溃疡状况变量。 样本将由40名受试者组成，年龄在18岁及以上， 至少有一个褥疮溃疡， 治愈至少三个月。 受试者将从 退伍军人管理局设施的住院单位，并将 随机分配到两种治疗方法之一。 一 组将接受褥疮常规治疗 包括用湿润的细网纱布填塞溃疡 用0.25%的醋酸浸过，再用一层棉布覆盖 填充4x 4敷料。 每次更换敷料三次， 白天（上午、中午和晚上）。 第二组将获得 对他们的溃疡进行同样的常规治疗， 每天三次，每次30分钟。 受试者将 随访8周或直到溃疡愈合。 率 通过每周测量溃疡来确定愈合情况 周长、表面积、深度和表面特征。 将测量溃疡周长、表面积和深度 利用立体摄影测量，一种远程三- 用立体照片对进行尺寸测量 使用计算机图像处理器进行分析。 溃疡 将通过直接观察评估表面特性， 通过摄影。 还将收集有关类型和 支持性治疗的安排和患者的存在 变量和溃疡状况变量，可能会影响率 治愈 按时间分组重复测量方差分析 将被用来检查愈合率的差异治疗 组 将应用Friedman双向方差分析 以确定溃疡表面特征的差异， 治疗组。 治疗组内，患者和溃疡 条件变量将与 治愈率的测量。

The purpose of this study is to detemrine the effectiveness of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) on healing of decubitus ulcers. Specifically, the study will aim to: (1) compare the rate of healing of decubitus ulcers treated with conventional therapy and those treated with conventional therapy augmented with TENS, and (2) compare the rate of ulcer healing and the presence of specific patient variables or ulcer condition variables. The sample will consist of 40 subjects, 18 years of age and older, who have at least one decubitus ulcer that has been resistant to healing for at least three months. Subjects will be obtained from in-patient units of a Veterans' Administration facility and will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment approaches. One group will receive conventional treatment to their decubitus ulcer consisting of packing the ulcer with fine mesh gauze dampened with .25% acetic acid and covering it with a single layer of cotton filled 4 x 4 dressing. The dressing will be changed three times a day (morning, midday and evening). The second group will receive the same conventional treatment to their ulcer combined with TENS applied for 30 minutes three times per day. Subjects will be followed for eight weeks or until their ulcer heals. Rate of healing will be determined by weekly measurement of ulcer circumference, surface area, depth and surface characteristics. Ulcer circumference, surface area, and depth will be measured with sterophotogram-metry, a method of remote three- dimensional measurement using steroscopic pairs of photographs that are analyzed using a computerized image processor. Ulcer surface characteristics will be assessed by direct observation and by photography. Data will also be collected on the type and scheduling of supportive therapies and the presence of patient variables and ulcer condition variables that may influence rate of healing. A group by time repeated measures analysis of variance will be used to examine differences in rate of healing treatment groups. A Friedman two-way analysis of variance will be applied to determine differences in ulcer surface characteristics between the treatment groups. Within treatment groups, patient and ulcer condition variables will be correlated with differences in measures of rate of healing.