Abstract
Objectives: Leg ulcers are known to have a profound effect on patient quality of life; however, the influence of different treatment approaches is unclear. This review aims to evaluate the comparative impact of conservative treatments and superficial venous surgery, for venous leg ulcers, on patient Quality of Life. Data sources: Three electronic databases (PsycInfo, Medline, and CINAHL), and reference lists of relevant articles, were searched. Two-hundred and nine articles were initially identified, and sixteen articles were included in the review. Results: The results lend cautious support to the suggestion that all treatment has a positive effect on quality of life, regardless of type, whilst wound status also appears to be an important factor. Conclusions: Some evidence suggests that surgical treatment methods may lead to greater improvements in patient quality of life than compression bandaging alone; however, future research may focus on the psychological mechanisms underlying such changes.