Venous and Arterial Leg Ulcers​

Ulcers are wounds or open sores that will not heal. Venous ulcers are quite common in the U.S. and affect between 500,000 and 2 million people each year.

Causes of Venous and Arterial Ulcers

On the leg, venous and arterial ulcers are often caused by:

• Poor circulation
• Venous insufficiency
• Blood clots
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Kidney failure
• Inflammatory diseases
• Medications
• Infections

Diagnosis

To diagnose a venous or arterial ulcer and develop a customized treatment plan, a wound healing expert will examine the affected area and use:

• X-rays
• MRIs
• CT scans
• Other non-invasive tests

Treatments

Helpful treatments for leg ulcers include:

• Compression
• Wound debridement (removal of tissue)
• Advanced wound dressing
• Surgery
• Bioengineered skin substitutes
• Vacuum-assisted closure
• Systemic hyperbaric oxygen therapy