The treatment goals for venous ulcers are first and foremost to decrease tissue edema with compression therapy followed by healing of the ulcer, control of pain and prevention of recurrence, the latter by controlling edema.  Local care to the ulcer includes optimizing the healing environment.  Initiation of moist wound healing while minimizing infection risk,  and environmental insults is the standard of care.  As with any tissue ulcer, debridement of necrotic tissue along with control of exudates is necessary.  A variety of hydrogels and alginates are used.

Several studies using skin substitutes have shown positive results at improving healing when added to a standard compression.  Since matrix components and growth factors appear to be missing and tissue fluid  further impairs healing, the addition of matrix components, by the application of a tissue engineered wound matrix, has been shown to be beneficial in the healing process.

The addition of growth factors in the form of platelet derived growth factor becaplermin have been shown to stimulate wound healing in the diabetic ulcer.  In addition, the use of dermal components have been shown to also improve healing.  A wound matrix such as OASIS® wound matrix dressing will provide important biologically active matrix components to the diabetic ulcer including growth factors.