Traditional-Unnas-Boot-with-multiple-layers-for-compression W640

An Unna’s boot (also Unna boot) is a special gauze (usually 4 inches wide and 10 yards long) bandage, which can be used for the treatment of

venous stasis Venostasis, or venous stasis, is a condition of slow blood flow in the veins, usually of the legs. Presentation Complications Potential complications of venous stasis are: * Venous ulcers * Blood clot formation in veins (venous thrombosis), that ...

ulcers An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing o ...

and other venous insufficiencies of the leg. It can also be used as a supportive bandage for sprains and strains of the foot, ankle and lower leg. The gauze is impregnated with a thick, creamy mixture of

zinc oxide Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white powder that is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, food supplements, rubbers, plastics, ceramics, glass, cement ...

and

calamine Calamine, also known as calamine lotion, is a medication used to treat mild itchiness. This includes from sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, and other mild skin conditions. It may also help dry out skin irritation. It is applie ...

to promote healing. It may also contain acacia,

glycerin Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...

castor oil Castor oil is a vegetable oil pressed from castor beans. It is a colourless or pale yellow liquid with a distinct taste and odor. Its boiling point is and its density is 0.961 g/cm3. It includes a mixture of triglycerides in which about ...

and

white petrolatum Petroleum jelly, petrolatum, white petrolatum, soft paraffin, or multi-hydrocarbon, CAS number 8009-03-8, is a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons (with carbon numbers mainly higher than 25), originally promoted as a topical ointment for its he ...

. The Unna’s boot was named after German

dermatologist Dermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin.''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.'' Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 537. . It is a speciality with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist is a specialist medica ...

Paul Gerson Unna Paul Gerson Unna, (September 8, 1850, Hamburg – January 29, 1929, Hamburg) was a German physician specialized in dermatology and one of the pioneers in dermatopathology. Biography Paul Unna was the son of Moritz Adolph Unna, a physician from H ...

. The Unna’s Boot itself is a compression dressing, usually made of cotton, that contains zinc oxide paste. The zinc oxide paste in the Unna’s Boot helps ease skin irritation and keeps the area moist. The zinc promotes healing within wound sites, making it useful for burns and ulcers. Zinc oxide paste is superior to gelatins used in other dressings, because it does not harden or cake. Some Unna Boots also contain calamine lotion and glycerin. For venous stasis ulcers, the paste-impregnated wrap is covered by an elastic layer, generally an elastic wrap ("ACE" bandage) or self-adherent elastic bandage such as Coban; this is referred to as a 2-layer compression bandage. An alternative treatment is a 4-layer, graduated compression wrap (Pro-Fore is an example). Evidence indicates that both are equally effective in healing venous stasis ulcers — a slow process in the best of circumstances, often taking 2–6 months.Evid Based Nurs 1999;2:1 6-8 doi:10.1136/ebn.2.1.6

References

External links

"Unna's Boot"
Family Practice Notebook. * Medical equipment {{treatment-stub