Files
Abstract
Chronic skin ulcers affect one percent of the population and are commonly evaluated and managed in the outpatient setting and lead to significant cost, morbidity, and mortality. Atypical wounds comprise approximately 20% of all chronic wounds and are those that cannot be defined under one of the typical wound categories. The primary objective of this study was to describe the clinical features and outcomes of atypical ulcers seen in a multi-specialty inpatient setting. The most frequently encountered ulcers in this study were chronic and located on the lower extremities. Mixed, infectious, and inflammatory ulcerations were the most common etiologies and these wounds were often diagnostically unspecified at initial consultation. Patients often have comorbid conditions and increased risk of mortality, emphasizing the complexity of their cases and the role of specialty consultation and multidisciplinary teams in their care.