The purpose of our study was the evaluation of the therapeutic benefit and the economical profit of low-frequency pulsed current applied to therapy-resistant venous leg ulcers. We investigated 39 patients in a prospective, placebo-controlled, double blind study on the effect of low-frequency pulsed current (Dermapulse) on healing in chronic venous ulcers during a 4-month course of treatment. All patients had chronic venous ulcers. The following criteria were recorded: ulcer size, pain, capillary density, and transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure. In verum group 3, ulcers healed and ulcer area was reduced significantly. In placebo group two ulcers healed. Ulcer size was reduced significantly in each group (paired test), the difference of ulcer area reduction between the "verum" and the placebo group (unpaired test) was not significant. Capillary density in the ulcer increased in both groups. In verum group, electrical stimulation led to rapid and lasting reduction of pain (unpaired test, p=0.049). By means of the process calculation method for the subgroup of outpatients this treatment method was economically effective. Electrical stimulation seems to be a viable treatment option for therapy-resistant venous leg ulcers.

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IVRA safely and effectively alleviates the pain associated with BTX-A treatment for palmar hyperhidrosis. Quantitative analysis with the corneometer showed that BTX-A significantly reduces sweat production. We conclude that IVRA is a suitable method for providing pain relief in the treatment of patients with palmar hyperhidrosis.

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Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is characterised by stage-dependent microangiopathy. With increasing severity there is a decrease in the number of skin capillaries and the oxygen partial pressure. The cutaneous vascular reserve, which is measured by laser-doppler fluxmetry, is reduced. Cutaneous microangiopathy is one of the main causes of the trophic disturbances associated with CVI. Low frequency pulsed current improves cutaneous microcirculation and thus nutrition as well as accelerating the formation of granulation tissue. In a open prospective pilot study, 15 patients suffering from CVI with persistent leg ulcers were treated with low frequency pulsed current (Dermapulse), which is thought to improve particularly the tissue microcirculation. The average age of the patients was 70.3 years and the average duration of ulceration was 79.1 months. The patients were treated over a period of 38 days. With this treatment, 2 ulcers healed completely and 13 showed a reduction of size of on average 63%. Capillary density increased by 43.5%, while transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure increased by 82.4%. Electrostimulation is a treatment with few or no side effects.