Summary

Healing a chronic ulceration presents a multifaceted challenge. It requires an initial differentiated clarification of the ulceration entity as the basis for successful treatment. Patience and a corresponding level of patient compliance must be taken into account, as patients are usually showing the signs of a long and difficult ordeal. Socio-economic aspects must also be taken into consideration because treatment costs related to chronic wounds should not be underestimated, particularly in an increasingly elderly society with an ever increasing life expectancy. The previous factors do not only represent a significant stress on the health system, but also present the treating physician with the conundrum of budgeting for long-term, cost-intensive treatment. The lack of consensus and interdisciplinary guidelines is a hindrance in the management of chronic wounds. In contrast, the wound therapist has an ever-increasing range of modern wound treatments, dressings and bandages as well as technical aids, which, due to their specific characteristics, require differentiated applications. Therefore, a restructuring of chronic wound treatment is necessary. This is an overview of modern wound managment and a review of dressings and technical aids.