VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
VENOUS LEG ULCERS
Venous ulcer is a severe clinical manifestation of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
It is responsible for about 70% of chronic ulcers of the lower limbs, i.e. those which do not heal within 6 weeks.
Other causes of chronic ulcers include arterial insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, chronic osteomyelitis, sickle cell disease, vasculitis, and skin tumor.
​
“Varicose ulcer”, “gravitational ulcer”, “stasis ulcer” and
“hypo static ulcer” have been used as synonyms for venous
ulcer.
​
Can venous leg ulcers be prevented?
There are several ways to help prevent developing a venous leg ulcer in people at risk, such as:
-
wearing compression stockings
-
losing weight if you're overweight
-
exercising regularly
-
elevating your leg when possible
These measures are particularly important if you've previously had a leg ulcer because you're at increased risk of having another one in the same leg within months or years.
Treatment:
Venous ulcers can be treated and its recurrence can be halted if the underlying cause is treated and adequate wound care is taken.
With appropriate treatment, most venous leg ulcers heal within three to four months.
Treatment should always be carried out by a healthcare professional trained in compression therapy for leg ulcers.
Depending on the cause of the venous ulcer, specific therapy can performed.
Most commonly ulcers heal with local ulcer care and ablation of the culprit vein.