Advancing Dermatology Education and Care in Rwanda: The Impact of a New Academic Partnership.

It is the realization of a long-dreamed aspiration to create a university that would advance global health delivery by training a new generation of global health leaders who are equipped to not just build, but sustain effective and equitable health systems.

Part I: Cutaneous manifestations of cardiovascular disease.

In this part 1 of a 2-part continuing medical education series, we review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease, its association with cutaneous symptoms, and the diagnosis and evaluation of cutaneous features of cardiovascular syndromes, including infective endocarditis, acute rheumatic fever, Kawasaki disease, cholesterol embolization syndrome, lipid disorders, cardiac amyloidosis, and cardiac myxomas. As the incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases increase, dermatologists play an essential role in recognizing the cutaneous manifestations of cardiovascular diseases in order to appropriately connect patients with follow-up care.

Part II: Cutaneous manifestations of peripheral vascular disease.

In this Part 2 of a 2-part continuing medical education series, we review the epidemiology of peripheral vascular disease, its association with cutaneous symptoms, and the diagnosis and evaluation of cutaneous features of vascular disorders. As peripheral vascular disease becomes more prevalent globally, it is essential for dermatologists to become competent at accurately recognizing and diagnosing cutaneous manifestations and directing individuals to receive appropriate care and treatment.

Nutrition and cutaneous wound healing.

Wound healing is a complex and energy-demanding process. The relationship between nutrition and wound healing has been recognized for many centuries. Several studies have indicated that nutritional deficiencies are more prevalent among patients with chronic wounds.

Pressure ulcers: Prevention and management.

Prevention has been a primary goal of pressure ulcer research. Despite such efforts, pressure ulcers remain common in hospitals and in the community. Moreover, pressure ulcers often become chronic wounds that are difficult to treat and that tend to recur after healing.

Pressure ulcers: Pathophysiology, epidemiology, risk factors, and presentation.

Though preventable in most cases, pressure ulcers continue to pose a major burden to the individual and society, affecting ≤3 million adults annually in the United States alone. Despite increased national attention over the past 20 years, the prevalence of pressure ulcers has largely remained unchanged, while the associated costs of care continue to increase. Dermatologists can play a significant role in pressure ulcer prevention by becoming aware of at-risk populations and implementing suitable preventive strategies.

Lymphedema: Diagnostic workup and management.

Lymphedema is a localized form of tissue swelling resulting from excessive retention of lymphatic fluid in the interstitial compartment. It is caused by impaired lymphatic drainage. Lymphedema is a chronic progressive disease with serious physical and psychosocial implications.

Lymphedema: Pathophysiology and clinical manifestations.

Lymphedema is a localized form of tissue swelling resulting from excessive retention of lymphatic fluid in the interstitial compartment and caused by impaired lymphatic drainage. Lymphedema is classified as primary or secondary. Primary lymphedema is caused by developmental lymphatic vascular anomalies.

A Novel Topical Wound Therapy Delivery System.

Introduction: Wound care dressings have evolved over time, from bandaging to the development of occlusive dressings to negative pressure wound therapy. A novel therapeutic delivery system dressing has been cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This semi occlusive wound dressing has been developed to provide local, continuous delivery of aqueous topical agents, such as therapeutics (anesthetics, antiseptics, antibiotics, steroids, topical beta-blockers, immune modulatory agents, growth factors, and fibrinolytic agents, among others), at a rate of about ¾ mL per day, thus maintaining a hydrated environment and providing topical treatment.

What's new: Management of venous leg ulcers: Treating venous leg ulcers.

Venous leg ulcers account for approximately 70% of all leg ulcers and affect 2.2 million Americans annually. After a comprehensive patient and wound assessment, compression therapy remains the cornerstone of standard care.

What's new: Management of venous leg ulcers: Approach to venous leg ulcers.

Leg ulcerations are a common problem, with an estimated prevalence of 1% to 2% in the adult population. Venous leg ulcers are primarily treated in outpatient settings and often are managed by dermatologists. Recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of leg ulcers combined with available evidence-based data will provide an update on this topic.

Wound healing and treating wounds: Chronic wound care and management.

In the United States, chronic ulcers--including decubitus, vascular, inflammatory, and rheumatologic subtypes--affect >6 million people, with increasing numbers anticipated in our growing elderly and diabetic populations. These wounds cause significant morbidity and mortality and lead to significant medical costs. Preventative and treatment measures include disease-specific approaches and the use of moisture retentive dressings and adjunctive topical therapies to promote healing.

Wound healing and treating wounds: Differential diagnosis and evaluation of chronic wounds.

Wounds are an excellent example of how the field of dermatology represents a cross-section of many medical disciplines. For instance, wounds may be caused by trauma, vascular insufficiency, and underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and rheumatologic and inflammatory disease. This continuing medical education article provides an overview of wound healing and the pathophysiology of chronic wounds and reviews the broad differential diagnosis of chronic wounds.

Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser in the Treatment of Chronic, Posttraumatic, Lower-Extremity Ulcers in Elderly Patients.

Importance: Treating posttraumatic lower extremity wounds can be challenging, especially in elderly patients. Recently, the use of fractional carbon dioxide laser has been shown to improve wound healing in scar-related wounds. We used this treatment modality in posttraumatic wounds that were slow to heal in 3 elderly patients.

Treatment of ulcers with ablative fractional lasers.

Chronic, nonhealing ulcers are a frustrating therapeutic challenge and investigation of innovative therapies continues to be an important research pursuit. One unique and newly applied intervention is the use of ablative fractional lasers. This technology has recently been employed for the treatment of hypertrophic, disfiguring and function-limiting scars, and was first shown to induce healing of chronic wounds in patients with persistent ulcers and erosions within traumatic scars.

Atrophie blanche: is it associated with venous disease or livedoid vasculopathy?

Purpose: The purpose of this learning activity is to provide information about the etiology and treatment of atrophie blanche.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Objectives: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1.

An evaluation of the association for the advancement of wound care venous ulcer guideline and recommendations for further research.

Objective: The goals of this study were to analyze the 2010 update of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) Venous Ulcer Guideline (VUG) and examine recommendations with less than A-level evidence to identify important research questions.

Data Sources: The AAWC VUG may be found at http://aawconline.org/professional-resources/resources and at the National Guideline Clearinghouse, http://www.

Venous eczema and lipodermatosclerosis.

Cutaneous changes are a common feature of chronic venous insufficiency and include venous eczema and lipodermatosclerosis. This review will address the presumed pathophysiology of these conditions, their clinical findings, and important management strategies.

Livedoid vasculopathy: an in-depth analysis using a modified Delphi approach.

Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a noninflammatory thrombotic condition presenting in a primary idiopathic or secondary subtype associated with abnormal coagulation factors. Different from atrophie blanche (AB), which is a clinical manifestation of certain scars, LV may have AB in combination with recurrent livedo reticularis with chronic and painful skin ulcers particularly around the ankle region, and at the back of the feet. Histology is characterized by segmental hyalinizing changes at the subintimal region of small dermal vessels with thrombotic occlusions.

Dressings for chronic wounds.

Covering wounds, acute and chronic, is one of the most fundamental activities of any medical practitioner. Although wound dressings primarily serve to contain the "good" and keep out the "bad," research has characterized more specifically the sophisticated interaction between the human wound bed and its dressing counterpart. Wound dressings for today's chronic wounds come in many flavors, ranging from the classic types of moisture-retentive dressings to silver-coated varieties to biologic dressings serving as skin substitutes.

Wound healing update.

The management of acute and chronic wounds has drastically changed within the past 20 years. This update focuses on the most recent recommendations for acute wound care as well as new technologies that are available for chronic wounds.

Slowly growing, ulcerating nodule on the posterior ankle .

A 34-year-old Haitian man presented with a 1-year history of a gradually en- larging, ulcerating nodule on the right posterior ankle that bled after trauma. The patient denied any history of prior trauma at the site of the lesion and foreign travel.There were no HIV risk factors or personal or family history of skin cancer.

Nutrition and wound healing.

Nutrition is an important component of wound healing. Several studies have indicated that nutrient deficiencies are more prevalent and cause delayed healing in patients with wounds. The exact role for nutrition and nutritional supplementation in the management of wounds remains uncertain, however.