The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy, in a prospective randomized trial, of three different bandage systems in the treatment of patients with venous leg ulcers. These bandage systems were: short stretch bandages; four layer bandage system; paste and support bandages. The primary evaluation of efficacy was to determine the healing rate of the ulcers and the degree of reduction of leg edema in each of the three groups. A total of 67 patients with venous leg ulcers were included in the present study: Twenty using short stretch (Comprilan) bandage, 23 the four layer bandage and 24 the long stretch-paste bandage. As in any bandaging system all of these methods require instruction for safe application. The healing of the ulcers was measured using photographs and plastic film tracing. The degree of edema was assessed by taking lower limb circumference measurements throughout the period of treatment. At the beginning of the study there was no significant difference between the three groups with regard to patient age, limb volume, initial ulcer size or duration of the ulcer. Both the short stretch regime and the four layer system controlled limb edema significantly better than the long stretch-paste bandage (-9%, -13%, -5%). The decrease in limb volume was accompanied by a significant improvement in ulcer healing in both the short stretch and four layer system compared to the long stretch-paste bandage group (-60%, -76%, -43%). However, there was no significant difference in the reduction of ulcer size between either the short stretch or the four layer bandaging group. With regard to cost benefit the short stretch (Comprilan) bandage has the advantage over the other compression systems in that the bandages can be washed and reused without interfering with their ability to provide compression.

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